Needing It
by SoulTears
Summary: Complete! A million things can happen in a minute and once they occur, there’s no turning back. Inuyasha sees Kagome weaken and makes a decision. Can he live with it, or will the consequences be too much for either of them to handle?
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, but I sure wish I did… Anyway, enjoy!**

**Ripples in a Pond**

Who knows what the consequences of our actions can be? Who can say what one little gesture, a kicking of a pebble or a smile, can do that will change the course of one's entire life? The volatile nature of life, where one act dictates another and another until it has become a domino effect, a snowball rolling down the side of a mountain, doomed to destruction, can never be silenced, never be stopped. It is an unstoppable force that drives a human being's existence, giving it meaning, joy, and pain. But this knowledge, this sagely wisdom, has yet to appear in the minds of the travelers as they make their way through the forest in search of home. No, they simply walked along the dirt path in silence. No one had anything to say and therefore silence reigned, as if the world were sharing in the hush of the group. The quiet of the surroundings was broken with a sudden stinging slap.

"Hentai," came the loud and angry voice of Sango as she held Hiraikotsu over her head, ready to slam it down on the skull of the monk beneath her. There was a familiar redness on her face as she beheld the man below her. How is it he could smile after doing that? Could it be he knows about what she saw? Could he be abusing the place she held for him already, after what she had caught sight of? Damn him to the seven hells! The holy man laid on the floor as one of the other companions, a tall teenage boy with long white hair and amber eyes smirked at the scene. His fire-rat fur rustled in the breeze as he stood with his arms crossed, waiting for the inevitable conclusion of this mini-comedy. Sure enough, the large boomerang met its mark and Miroku slumped on the floor.

"Serves you right, lecher," the boy said, the white triangle ears on top of his hair twitching slightly. The girl next to him sighed in exasperation at them all. She was getting tired of having to revive the monk every time his hand decided to rub up against the taijiya's backside. Still, it was a welcome change after the somberness that had pervaded the group before then. It had been just yesterday that they had met up with a demon that seemed bent on taking the shards of the Shikon no Tama from them. 'It's getting more and more dangerous traveling with these,' Kagome thought as she fiddled the vial that held the eight tiny shards of the mighty jewel.

"Come on Inuyasha," she told the hanyou, "Help me pick him up." With a growl of annoyance the white-haired boy grabbed the monk by the waist and easily hoisted him on his shoulders and they continued walking. The young girl from the future pondered her fears and the impending crisis (college entrance exams to be exact) in the silence until they reached Kaede's hut. Inuyasha unceremoniously dumped his charge on the ground outside the door. The monk responded with a pained 'oomph!' before sitting up and rubbing his head. The rest of the group ignored him and entered the hut. A ball of fur with a tail collided with Kagome and a squeaky voice could be heard beneath the folds of hair.

"KAGOME! What took you so long? Did you get the jewel shards? Was the demon scary?" The questions were fired off in rapid succession, leaving the girl dizzy as she tried to process them. Before she could respond however, she felt the tiny kitsune unlatch from her and hang suspended in the air eye to eye with a growling hanyou.

"Oi runt, slow down with the questions! They're giving me a headache," he said gruffly before tossing him across the room, careful to make sure he landed on that 'futon' Kagome slept in. He did this mostly to make sure she wouldn't say the 'word,' but evidently his gesture went unnoticed.

"Inuyasha, osuwari," she said with a sigh as the boy fell to the floor with a loud thud. Curses could be heard from the ground, but Kagome was already moving on. "Konnitchiwa Lady Kaede," she said before plopping down on the mattress. As much as she hated to admit it, Inuyasha had done her a favor by quieting the kitsune.

"Konnitchiwa, Kagome-chan. How did thy hunt fare?" As a response the girl showed her the increased number of shards before putting it in her backpack. Now that they were in what for all intents and purposes could be called home, they all relaxed. Sango went over to the nearby hot spring to bathe, Kagome following behind with all her bath supplies, Miroku went inside to converse with Kaede before meditating, and Inuyasha ventured into the forest of his name. Shippou and Kirara went off into the meadow to play before suppertime.

At the hot spring, the two young women sat in the water, letting the heat loosen the tension from their bodies. The shock of the recent battle was still fresh in their minds. The demon itself had been a horrible thing to behold. It was of gigantic size and resembled a zombie. Its flesh had been rotting off the bone, the decaying tissue oozing sickly-green pus down its face. The skull itself appeared like that of a canine but had a split down the middle almost as if an axe had been wedged into its cranium. There were no brains to speak off, but a dank darkness that misted through the mouth and nostrils. As for the eyes, they glowed a deep red. In its left hand had been a sword that was caked in dry blood. However, it was not its appearance that had been so harrowing, but its ability to invade a person's mind and intensify the deep-rooted fears within that person, bringing them to the surface. Sango had been forced to relive the tragedy of her families' deaths, seeing each of their faces as they fell to the floor until only Kohaku remained standing, the bloody shears falling from his trembling hands as he finally realized what he had done. Sango felt her knees grow weak as the image of Kohaku was replaced with that of Miroku. He was clutching his cursed hand, a look of resigned fear in his eyes as the beads pulsed with power. He looked at her; her eyes were locked to his, the sorrow on his face making him so beautifully heartrending that all she wanted to do was run to him and hold his head in her arms, stroke his hair between her fingers and kiss his fears away. Where such strong feelings came from, she did not really want to know, all she could think involved helping the monk. Just as she felt her body move toward him, the beads disappeared and the Kazaana broke free. It sucked in the clouds as the monk pointed it upwards, his mouth opened in a pained scream. Dust gathered around him, creating a vortex that swallowed him whole, stretching his body until he appeared to be nothing more than a curled sliver of purple and peach before claiming its prize. Sango fell to her knees, her eyes never looking away until with a sharp expulsion of air the vortex was gone, taking Miroku with it. She could still hear his faint scream as he tumbled deeper and deeper into the void, never to return again. She remembered so vividly the tears she had shed for her family, but most of all for Miroku. Off all the friends she had made on her journey to avenge her village, he had been the one which always seemed to have the right answer, the phrase that always made her feel better, and the wisdom he was capable of giving proved how dedicated he was to his faith. She had learned to latch on to him whenever Kohaku visited her dreams or the group. He was her rock and she loved him for it, even if he had such wandering hands for a rock. He would not be there for her ever again. He had left and she was alone, always alone.

"No, don't leave me," she barely whispered as the cloud of illusion pressed in around her.

Kagome watched the emotions run across her friend's face on the other side of the hot spring. It prompted her to recall her own experience with the demon. She had seen the jewel shards imbedded above its left eye and on its right arm. It was with this arm that it was reaching out to the group, raiding their subconscious. She felt an icy shiver run all the way down her spine as she beheld a figure walking toward her. It was a woman wearing billowing red pants and a white haori. Slung over her shoulders was a quiver of arrows with a longbow in her hands. It was she, the one who shared her soul with Kagome. It was Kikyou, the resurrected miko of Inuyasha's past. She was smiling that serene smile of death that never left her face, but her eyes betrayed the hatred she felt towards her reincarnation. Then another figure appeared. Kagome craned her head to see who it was and realized with relief and horror that it was Inuyasha. Wait, he was walking towards Kikyou! There was a smile on his face as well; full of happiness and love and the young girl could feel her heart shatter under that countenance. The two embraced, Kikyou resting her cheek on the crook of his neck, the smile now aimed at Kagome. It twisted into a malevolent grin as the portal to Hell opened behind her and began to suck them in. As the never-ending flames consumed them, Kagome willed herself to run, to save Inuyasha. She was catching up to the two, feeling the hellfire trying to push her back but she pushed on to save the man she loved. It was then that she saw his face. He seemed happy, so happy that it made running to pull him away selfish and cruel. So she simply stood there, her heart fracturing into smaller and smaller bits with every passing second, as the love of her life was sucked into Hell. 'No, stay with me Inuyasha! _I_ love you, not her! She can't love you, why can't you see that?' Even now in the hot spring she could feel the horrible ache in her heart and the tears threatening to overwhelm her. Her breathing was shallow as she struggled to hold them in. The battle was doomed from the start. She left the hot spring and hurriedly dressed. Once everything was in place she walked away, letting the droplets fall as her feet led her into the woods. Sango did not notice her departure, still lost in her private Hell.

Miroku valued himself as a knowledgeable man, but even he'll admit that he more often than not went too far when it came to his quest for an heir. But why couldn't they understand the seriousness of his curse, his stolen innocence, and his mortality? How could they possibly comprehend? They had never seen their father or grandfather be sucked into the palm of his own hand and to know with every breath, every passing thought that that is your fate. Bound to the abyss, living just to prepare for death at any second. Because he did not know when the Kazaana would open and claim him, when the void would become tired with just his hand and decide to finally take the rest of him. That was why he lived as he did, a monk who sought the warmth of women and the ultimate joy and pride of fatherhood. All he had ever wanted was an heir to carry on his tradition and his quest, that is, until he met Sango. From the moment he had set eyes on her he had seen a strength that commanded respect, a dedication to her way of life that was almost equal to his own. Apart from that, there was a deep grief in those orbs, made more powerful whenever they were confronted with her past or Kohaku. He had wanted to comfort her so badly the first time they had met with her younger sibling, but she was already wrapped around Kagome. Well versed in the ways of suffering but unfamiliar with how to comfort that kind of pain, he decided that his help would be to refrain from asking his infamous question. After all, she was on a quest to avenge her entire village, her very childhood and honor. She did not need to have a child hindering her from that goal. Still, over the course of their travels he had grown quite fond of her, to the point that he would whisper the occasional remark about her beauty just to see her go that wonderful shade of red. But what about her? 'What does she feel for me? Can she love me after all the things I have done to her?' He fell deeper into his trance and was greeted with the image of the demon he had faced. When the fog appeared around him he immediately knew it was an illusion. Even as Sango appeared in her skin-tight slaying armor that showed everything, from her healthy bouncing bosom to her tantalizingly round and taut backside peeking from behind her hips, eyes pleading and full of desire, he shook his head in disbelief. It wasn't real, just a youkai trick. His Sango would never do these things! It was not her nature! The fog shifted, darkening his surroundings, leaving only him and the taijiya. She continued to walk toward him, her succulent hips swinging from side to side in a mesmerizing rhythm. The beads over his cursed hand were bothersome all of a sudden, rubbing against his skin and making him itch. With each step closer the itch grew until it was a raging throb of pain that spiked with each breath the wondrous goddess in front of him inhaled. Sango reached out, her hand cupping his cheek. Such affection he felt from her, such love. She was getting closer, her eyes closing as their lips were drawn together. At that moment, Miroku's certainty faded and he kissed her back. Longing he did not know he possessed made him mash her body against him as he deepened the kiss. It was electric the way her hands ran through his hair and he did the same with her back, making sure not to touch her backside. There was no way he was going to ruin the moment. When they each came up to breathe he was reminded painfully of the throbbing in his hand. Suddenly the beads exploded in different directions and the flap that was always over the sinister hole vanished from his hand. The Kazaana was free, and Sango was right in its path! The roar that was always present whenever the void was used was gone, destroyed by the mortified gasp that escaped Miroku's lips. Paralyzed with fear, he watched as with a scream another person he loved was claimed by the nothingness. He could hear her scream reverberate in his mind and he cried out his anguish along with it. At this point it no longer felt like a trick. It hurt too much to be a hoax. So immersed in his nightmare, the monk did not see the same taijiya fall to the ground beside him, her hands clutching her head as she bawled his name over and over, crystalline tears falling down her face.

Inuyasha growled and gripped the handle of Tetsusaiga with all his strength. 'How could I let a demon that ugly get the best of me? Ugh, I was so stupid! I let him get to me!' He continued to mentally rant and rave about every hateful feature of the demon with words so colorful it would humble any sailor in existence and make him blush. But as his raving calmed down he remembered what had caused the demon to get the better of him. He had been the first to see it, rotting and killing all the plants around him. He had had his sword poised, ready to slice it in half when it lifted its right hand, the one Kagome had said held a jewel shard. All around him a deep fog materialized out of thin air. He could just make out trees and what looked like a shrine in the distance. The youkai was nowhere to be seen. The hanyou took a few steps forward and found his path marred by a large tree that looked suspiciously like the Goshinboku. Before he could think about what was going on, he smelled a familiar scent behind him. He was turning around when his ears caught the unmistakable twinge of a bowstring being pulled back. 'INUYASHA,' came a female voice, the tone filled with such anger and hatred it froze the blood in his veins. The arrow flew with breakneck speed, lodging itself in his heart and pinning him to the tree at the same time. Nostalgia slammed into him with just as much force. It was happening again! Looking to the archer and expecting to see a bleeding Kikyou, he was stunned to see Kagome smiling sardonically at him. Around her neck was the complete Shikon no Tama, shining with a pink light. 'Foolish half-breed,' he heard her say, the words burning into his soul. 'Did you honestly think I would want to stay with you once the jewel was complete? You idiot, can't you see how much I hate the sight of you? You're caught between two races, neither one nor the other, weaker than both! What could I possibly want to do with you? But now, this little quest is over, and I can finally do something I've been wanting to do for a long time.' Suddenly the Bone-Eater's Well appeared next to her. A bone-jarring fear coursed through Inuyasha when he realized what she was doing. 'NO! Please Kagome, don't leave! Stay here with me, don't leave me alone!' He pushed against the arrow; ignoring the pain it caused him. She could not leave! He would _not_ allow it! 'NO!' She did not respond, instead bringing her legs over the edge of the well. Just before she went down, she looked over at him with that same twisted smile as she notched another arrow on her bow before letting it fly. This one landed square in the middle of his chest, right where his windpipe split to his lungs. The pain caused bright lights to dance in his eyes. He couldn't breathe; the arrow blocked the passage of air. He looked at the woman he had grown to cherish, to love more than anyone else in his life. Her lips parted and he knew suddenly, horribly what she was going to say. The hanyou bowed his head in acceptance. If this is what she really wanted, then it was fine, more than fine. Sweet surrender. 'So be it,' was his last thought when he heard the dreaded word and felt the rosary tugging his body to the floor. Coupled with the arrows lodged in his body, that same annoying spell that always managed to have him eating dirt had successfully sliced his body in two. It was with that gruesome image of death that Inuyasha was broken from his trance. The fog was gone and there stood the youkai in the middle of the clearing, its hand still outstretched toward them. All around him his companions were on their knees, each of their faces wrought with anguish. He knew then what had happened. Gripping his sword tightly again he rushed forth and swung, triggering the Kaze no Kizu instantly and effortlessly. The demon evaporated in the wind, leaving the group shaking and shivering from the ordeal. Kagome got to her feet first, her cheeks stained with tears as she shuffled through the ground and picked up the shards, purifying and transporting them to the vial without a word. The other three met her at the center of the meadow and they headed back to Kaede's village. The deserted clearing stood, a testimony to their greatest defeat, for it was the youkai who had won in the end. It had unearthed a dark mass of doubt and fear that will change the companions forever.

Kagome continued walking through the multitude of trees, her mind lost in thought. 'It had felt so real. I actually felt the heat from the flames of Hell scorching my skin. But it was just a trick… wasn't it? No, it could happen. After all, he does love her, and he _did_ promise to go with her after the quest was over….' A cry of frustration could be heard throughout the canopy, catching the attention of a dog-eared teen seated on one of the higher branches of the trees. The tears were on her face again and he could smell them, prompting him to wonder what it could have been that had caused the pain he had seen on her face in the clearing. He used all the speed he had to jump from branch to branch and land in front of her. She let out a weak gasp before turning from him, trying desperately to dry her tears. She had to calm down! After all, he doesn't deserve to be burdened with her pain, not after what he had seen on his face. It had looked like he had been savagely betrayed; his eyes shone with unshed tears. All she wanted to do was wrap her arms around him and comfort him, but he had been looking at her the whole time, effectively freezing her in her place. 'Why do you look at me Inuyasha? Is it because of whom you see in my face? Who you _wish_ you saw,' she thought bitterly as he unleashed the Kaze no Kizu on the demon. Now he stood no more than a foot from her, no doubt having heard her cry, and she didn't know what to say to him. It was great surprise that she heard him speak first.

"Kagome," he said softly, his voice full of concern, "Are you okay? The demon didn't hurt you did it?" She smiled inwardly at his words. 'He might not love me, but at least he worries. I guess that'll have to be enough.' Composing herself with a deep breath, she turned and flashed him one of her brightest smiles.

"No Inuyasha, I'm just fine." The hanyou was a little startled by her sudden change in mood, but happy that she was smiling again. He would never tell her that though, how her smile always made him forget where he was, even who he was. In that brief moment when he basked in the light she exuded, he was complete. He knew he loved her then, not Kikyou. That woman had never made him feel this way. She was a friend, always would be no matter what. But Kagome, she was the one he loved. But did she feel the same way? As much as his heart wished it were true, he knew the cold reality. She did not belong in his time, she should be where there were those strange houses that reached higher than any of the trees, where she could go to that 'skool' thing without hindrance, and where she could be happy with someone who was human. He had grown up knowing he was an outcast, neither human nor demon, completely alone. She could never love him, the only reason she came back was because of her obligation. She had broken the jewel, and now she had to fix it. Once that was done she would leave, back to her own time, never to return. "Inuyasha?" Her voice broke him from his reverie and he looked at her with a scowl.

"What, wench?" The mask was back on his face, hiding the emotions she had seen, but his eyes swam with them, too many to identify. After a moment of glaring at him, he relented. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course Inuyasha." This was it; all he had to ask was simple. Do you love me? That was all! You can do it!

"Um, uh, I was wondering- " Dammit, already it was too many words! Her eyes were looking at him, all her attention focused on him. He wanted to ask, but he knew the answer, so instead he said, "I was wondering if you had any ramen. I'm kind of hungry." Stupid Inuyasha, just a spineless coward in the end! The young girl just chuckled, oblivious to his inner struggle, and nodded. They headed back to the village, the incident pushed aside for now. None of them could know that it would come back to spite them, that something as simple and complex as a kiss could change everything.

**Well… what do you think? I personally enjoyed writing this. Sorry if I left you hanging or anything, but I had to make sure you would read the next chapter! Ja ne!**


	2. Chapter One

**Disclaimer**: Not mine, not mine, not mine, blah blah BLAH!

**Quarrel and Vengeance**

Three weeks since the attack of the zombie youkai, things seemed to be finally getting back to normal. Inuyasha and Kagome were fighting again; Miroku was recovering from unconsciousness thanks to his 'possessed hand' and a fuming Sango was sitting far away from him. Shippou colored on some parchment he got from Kaede and Kirara simply sat on the grass watching the entire scene with mild interest, occasionally picking her claws. As for the combating friends, they were going full blast by the edge of the forest, each facing the other, Inuyasha's height giving him the advantage of glaring down at the shorter Kagome, who of course was unaffected whatsoever, lashing back with a glare only a severely pissed-off woman can generate.

"What is the big deal with this school thing anyway," the hanyou asked for the thousandth time. It was the argument they always had whenever she had asked to go through the well. However, the illusion caused by the youkai had proved to make this spat a little more heated and much more fierce. "After all, you already have enough to do here, why do you want to go and add more crap to your list of things to do?"

"Because," Kagome replied, stretching each syllable in an effort to calm down. "I have entrance exams coming up and I have to study! If I fail those tests I'll never be able to get into a good school!" Why couldn't he see the importance of these tests? Honestly, the tests were just the excuse. The real reason she wanted to go back to her time was for a little relaxation time. Lately she had been having nightmares of a certain clay bitch that were really starting to cut into her sleeping time. Not to mention she was cranky as hell. That damn period had snuck up on her again; the cramps didn't even come until the day before. Standing here arguing with the stubborn bastard while feeling her body tearing itself apart from the inside out was definitely not something she wanted to be doing.

"Well, you're not going! You have no use for those exam things and we still have to find jewel shards!" Although his voice held no trace, Inuyasha was becoming desperate. No matter how much he tried to quench it, there was always that fear that if she were to go through the well to her time, she might not come back. Before he had worried about completing the jewel, but now all he could think about was Kagome, whether she would come back or stay forever in her time, forsaking him because of who and what he was. Now she looked very determined, not to mention her change of scent telling him her monthly blood cycle was in full swing, making any and all decisions made during that time hasty and often permanent. Combine that with the dreams he had been having of lonely eternities and you had one very terrified hanyou. Miroku and Sango watched the fight, the monk's past transgression forgotten. Both could see the tension straining between the two, reaching the breaking point. On any other day it would have been routine, but Miroku was filled with a sense of foreboding.

"Something's going to happen," he mumbled aloud to the taijiya. "Can you feel it?"

"Yes, it's like the woods have quieted in the wake of their words, the calm before the storm. What does it mean," she asked no one, unaware that she had wrapped her arms around herself protectively, as if to shield her body and mind from what was to come. The feeling intensified as the quarrel continued to rise in pitch. Their words became shouts and cries punctured by occasional '_osuwaris_'.

"Damn it Inuyasha, I have to go back to my time now and there is no way you are going to stop me," she said, her anger no longer masked. Why did he always have to make this so difficult? She had no use for the shards, so there was no reason to think that she would try to keep them. Honestly, he did not have to worry so much. She always came back! After sitting him again she made her way to the well. Inuyasha cursed loudly, demanding that she stay. Once the spell dissipated he was on his feet and leaping into the air, landing right in Kagome's path. The fight started up again, until finally the last shred of patience and sanity left in her snapped and evaporated into the black oblivion of her anger.

"Gods Inuyasha, I cannot imagine what kind of woman your mother had to be to put up with you!" All sound ceased as the hanyou looked at the girl in front of him, hurt seeping swiftly into his gaze. Despite her anger, she could still see his face and it was at that moment she realized what she had said. Guilt scalded her body as the look in his eyes told her how deep a nerve she had torn. Her throat squeezed painfully as she struggled to apologize. His response cut through her skin like a hot knife.

"She was best I could have, more than I deserved. She stayed with me, loved me, despite of what I was. Where's _your_ father anyhow? Don't tell me you drove him off?" He did not hear a word of what he had saying. His mind was back in the past, of all the times he had spent with his mother. He remembered her smiles, her soft words, and her tears, so many tears in her eyes. So absorbed in his memories, he did not see the guilt on Kagome's face turn back to shocked anger and hurt.

"My father died from a disease, you insensitive JERK! OSUWARI," she screamed, the force of the subduing spell increased by her emotions caused the hanyou to create a three-foot deep crater in the ground before falling into unconsciousness. Tears falling from her eyes, she jumped into the well. The taijiya and monk watched in shocked silence, their thoughts were the same. 'This time it has gone too far.'

Kagome sat at the bottom of the well for a long time, crying softly. 'That jerk, talking about Dad like that. What gives him the right to judge? Damn him, I hope he and that bitch Kikyou rot in all seven hells!' With anger finally stopping her tears, she climbed the well and went to her room. No one was home; her family having gone to her aunt's to celebrate her littlest cousin's birthday. Relieved at being spared Mother's questions, at least for the time being, the teen took out her books and began to study all the books and assignments her brother Souta had compiled for her, bless his little soul. Soon the image of the hanyou and his fuzzy white ears vanished from her mind as Calculus soaked in.

Back in the Sengoku Jidai Inuyasha was still lying in his crater. The spell had long since worn off, but he did not have the strength to move. The argument kept replaying in his mind, always ending at Kagome's last words. 'So her father is dead too. I guess I just assumed he had left like mine did. I feel a little bad now that I think about it… Keh, she deserved it! How _dare_ she insult my mother like that, like she knows what I went through! I hope she stays over there this time.' Scoffing loudly he stood up and brushed the dirt from his haori, all the while glaring at the well.

"You hear that Kagome? I hope you stay there! Keep your stupid exams and all your strange ways!" Even as he said it there was that little voice that rebelled at his anger, stating simply that she had the jewel shards and, more importantly that he loved her. But not even that voice could get him to change his mind, not this time. The hanyou shot another glare at the well before disappearing into the forest. Meanwhile, Sango and Miroku were in deep conversation discussing the recent events.

"I still say its all Inuyasha's fault," the taijiya said, rising to defend her friend. "He had been completely out of line with the comment about Kagome's father." Although Miroku was inclined to side with Kagome in this matter, he knew it wasn't entirely the hanyou's fault.

"Maybe so, but the comment about Inuyasha's mother was not the smartest thing Kagome ever did Lady Sango. She of all people, having known Inuyasha longer than any of us, should have known how sensitive that subject is and should have steered clear from it."

"Are you placing the blame on her then Houshi-sama?" Her voice was icy and caused the monk to cringe faintly, but he continued.

"Not at all. Both are at fault this time, but because both are so stubborn, there is a good chance that neither of them will ever apologize. This will not do. Since we cannot cross into her time, you and I must find a way to convince Inuyasha to go over and ask forgiveness."

"Easier said than done, Houshi-sama," she said, her voice heavy with sarcasm, but she had already begun thinking of a way to get it done. Miroku did not answer, also lost in thought. Under the fire of the hut they planned and plotted. Operation: Love's Reunion was underway.

The next day Kagome awoke to the shrill ringing of her alarm clock. She groggily stood up and made her way blindly to the shower. Letting the water rinse her body, she could feel the memory of the argument creeping on her with the steady dripping of the water down her body. She was ashamed of how she acted, but there was nothing that could be done now. He had said a lot of things as well. As far as she was concerned _he_ would have to apologize, not her. With that thought and the reminder that entrance exams began today, the young teen hastily left for school. It seemed that cramming until three in the morning was probably not the best course of action in order to prepare for a test, but she pulled through until the end. Her friends had been surprised to see her, but they quickly got over their shock and launched a barrage of questions, namely about that 'two-timing, rough, crude, and overly possessive boyfriend.' Smiling brightly, the miko answered each question with lightning speed.

"Yeah, he is a jerk, no we're not going out, I never want to see him again, I hope he dies…" the answers continued, each more harsh than the one before, until her fondest wish for Inuyasha was for him to be dipped into a cauldron of boiling acid while being forced to eat every one of his ingrown toenails upside down, all in the same malicious monotone. The inquiries died away until there was a deathly silence among the friends. They could not believe how violent their sweet little Kagome had become. They all silently blamed _him_. Of course Houjou decided to choose that moment to appear.

"Konnitchiwa Higurashi-san," he said with a bright smile. At any other time said girl would have found a way to ignore the boy, but her smoldering anger at Inuyasha made engaging the handsome and extremely dense boy in conversation very appealing.

"Hello Houjou-kun, how are you?" The boy smiled wider. 'I have finally got to her! Score!'

"I'm doing okay. I hope that the rabid jungle fever you were suffering from is gone now?" Kagome stifled a laugh. Her grandfather took too much pleasure in choosing diseases.

"It's gone now. So how were the exams? Did you find any of the questions easy?" Her friends looked on incredulously as their strange friend pulled a freakish change of mood and became the typical giggling schoolgirl.

"Oh, they're just exams, I'm sure I did fine. By the way, there's a school dance on the last day of exams. Would you like to go," he asked quickly, steeling his spirit for rejection. After all, it wouldn't be the first time she refused and their last date was cut short for reasons he did not know to this day. Kagome thought about the proposal. Houjou was cute, and he always lavished her with attention, unlike _some_ people. Maybe it would be nice to go out with him, see how it works out. There was another voice there somewhere telling her that she should say no, but it wasn't loud enough to stop what she had started.

"Yeah, of course I will. Pick me up at seven?" 'I'll show you Inuyasha. You'll see that I don't need you after all.' Her friends were speechless but Houjou nodded, smiling broadly before kissing Kagome on the cheek. Blushing furiously at his boldness, he muttered a farewell before walking away. Kagome smirked in triumph before starting the walk back to the shrine, leaving her friends behind as they struggled to sort out all the things that had happened at once. The smile would not leave her face, even though it was starting to hurt a bit. That little nagging voice bothered her. It kept telling her to say no, it was wrong, don't do it. It intensified to a roar in her ears as she stood in front of the steps to the shrine. Growling at the annoyance she ran up the stairs. Food, she needed food and TV to calm the voice! Reaching the top quickly she swung open the door. For a split second she imagined Inuyasha standing there with his arms crossed and that familiar scowl on his face, ready to drag her back to the Sengoku Jidai. Instead she found her mother hunched over the stove, her apron secured around her waist as she cooked. Hearing the door, Ms. Higurashi smiled at her daughter, removing her apron before rushing over and enveloping Kagome in a hug.

"Hello dear! I did not know you had returned," she said. "I thought you were going to stay longer."

"Well, there were some exams I had to take that were really important, so I came back earlier." There, it sounded decent enough, just add a wide smile to smooth it over. Maybe she'll fall for it. 'Or maybe Hell will freeze over,' she thought bitterly as her mother looked intently at her, destroying the fragile defenses she had put up instantaneously. With a sob Kagome threw herself on her mother again, letting the tears flow as she struggled to explain the real reason why she had come back. The elder Higurashi listened without speaking, knowing that all she was to do was wait it out. From what she could decipher, their had been another argument. This one seemed far more heated than the others. The end result was the same though; she subdued the poor boy and returned here. Once Kagome was calm she said that she would be in her room. Her mother watched her go, knowing full well she had only heard the shortened G-rated version of the events, but she was sure that whatever it was it would blow over. Inuyasha would come, Kagome would forgive him for his mistakes and all would be right with the world again. A smile formed on her face as she headed back to the troublesome stove. 'Those two belong together, even if they don't know it.'

"Come on Inuyasha, you can't stay cooped up in that tree forever," the tiny voice of Shippou cried to the hanyou perched on one of the higher branches of the forest. Upon hearing the kitsune's words he shifted and gave a sigh of annoyance.

"Just leave me alone," he responded. The young kit gave a growl of impatience as Miroku appeared at the base of the tree. He and the taijiya had finally been able to concoct a suitable plan to bring the two feuding lovers back together. It involved rope and a large amount of sleeping powder. As the monk searched for the young teen he began to realize the absurdity of their strategy. He decided to try another tactic.

"Hello Inuyasha-san, how are you?" Step one: greet the temperamental hanyou with a neutral greeting and wait for results.

"Leave me the hell alone monk." Step two, back away from the tree and try again later. Don't forget the ranting kitsune. Alone once again, Inuyasha decided to dwell on thoughts again as the sun was setting. Three days had passed since the argument and it seemed Kagome was either still mad or waiting for him to come to her time and apologize. 'Good luck waiting for that one,' he thought with a smirk before crossing his arms. But just as he resolved to wait, there was that part of him that refused to be parted from her any longer. Curse the soul for its unremitting need! As his body was wracked by the struggle between pride and love, Miroku relayed the results of the plan to his co-conspirator. Upon hearing what had occurred with Miroku, Sango had had enough and promptly decided to take matters into her own hands. Stomping over to the tree she swung her great boomerang, slicing the tree and causing it to fall. Startled for a moment, Inuyasha deftly landed on his feet as the tree crashed to the floor, poised for attack. Upon seeing whom it was that had felled the tree he relaxed. "Look Sango, I really don't feel like-"

"I don't give a damn what you have to say right now Inuyasha," she said, cutting through the hanyou's words mercilessly. "This little proud and stubborn act has gone on long enough. Get off your ass and go apologize to Kagome-chan!"

"Why the hell should I? She's the one who has to apologize to me!"

"You were the one who wouldn't let her go back to her time! Have you forgotten that she has family over there that will miss her? Gods, you can be so dense sometimes Inuyasha!"

"She has a family over there? Well whoop-dee-fucking-do! She hasn't finished collecting shards so all the crap in her time is just slowing things down! Besides, everything she needs she has here."

"Really? How do you figure that one dog-boy," Sango asked sarcastically, although inwardly she smiled. Her plan was working. If she could get the hanyou to admit he had feelings for Kagome, it might compel him to go to her.

"Well, she has food, friends, all the exercise she could ever want, and all the herbs she'll never find in her time," Inuyasha said, for he was at a loss for anything else. He wanted to say that there was someone who loved her here too, but his pride would not let him show weakness to the taijiya.

"That's all? She has all that at her time too, maybe even better than she could ever have here! And what about love? I love her like a sister but she needs more than that. Does she have that here?" From here on out it was all up to Inuyasha. His response would determine the success or failure of her plan. As for the hanyou, the struggle inside him reached a ferocity that would make the Gods tremble. Pride and his army of a thousand Stubborns clashed with Soul. A mighty battle raged on the field of the Heart until with a great cry the Victorious Psyche claimed the floor. He missed her so much. He needed her at his side no matter what. He would forgive everything she did if it meant she came back to him. And he loved her, loved her such that the reality of their relationship was constantly stabbing his heart, branding it with sorrow every time she smiled at him, because he knew that all he could ever have with her was a friendship. Now she was gone, so far and yet so close. He had to go to her, had to tell her what she meant to him. Sango watched the teen's face come alive with emotions, each fiery passion ripping through his cheeks before coming to rest in his golden eyes. There was anger, pride, pain, loneliness, and even betrayal could be identified. But what caught her attention was the vast amount of Love she saw in those pools. It staggered her the way his soul seemed to call for Kagome, beg for the joining that contained the perfection of Nirvana, of every heaven that exists. But this wild fervor was tempered, all of this flawlessness held in check for so long by fear, the fear of rejection and a lifetime alone. As the sensations cooled and left the hanyou to heal, he looked so lost that the taijiya knew then why Kagome loved him so totally. She also knew then that she had pushed too hard, ruptured something in him that was unaccustomed to anguish despite all he had lived. Inuyasha no longer needed the tough love routine, just support and confidence. Softening her voice considerably, she said, "It's okay to feel this way Inuyasha. You love her. And she loves you I know it. Go to her, she's waiting." A shudder ran through the scarlet figure before with a nod he leapt into the starry night air. 'I'm coming Kagome, and I have some things to tell you.'

Earlier that day in the modern age, Kagome fiddled with her pencil in her room. Exams were over and with it came the school dance. Who knew that the event everyone else was rejoicing was the exact thing the schoolgirl had been wishing with all her heart would not come? But why did she feel this way? After all, it wasn't like Inuyasha had come for her. He usually waited a day to let her cool off after they fought and then he would come for her. Except for that time when she came to him, but that's beside the point! He was supposed to come and he still hadn't! 'It's already been three days and he still has not come for me… well fine! If he doesn't want me then I don't want him! Humph, I have a date with Houjou tonight and I plan to enjoy myself. Who needs that stubborn jerk anyway!' Newly revived with her anger, she began dressing in the best dress and make-up she had. Summoning her mother, the two went to work preparing for the dance. Pulling out the black dress she kept hidden (and for good reason! It screamed easy access, skin-tight silk from plunging neckline to just above the knees, with the right leg slit open dangerously high. This little number defied gravity as it hung off the shoulders, exposing a hell of a lot of skin which to the schoolgirl's luck was tanned from all her time spent walking through the Sengoku Jidai) along with the black stilettos that required perfect balance to walk in. As she slipped into the second skin, her mother worked on her face and hair.

Mrs. Higurashi had her reservations about her daughter going to a dance with one boy while loving another, but she decided to keep her mouth shut. 'Kagome won't do anything that will affect the love she feels for Inuyasha, of that I am sure.' She would not know how wrong she was until it was too late. The ensemble was finished just as there came a knock on the door. Kagome smiled. 'At least he's punctual,' she thought as she kissed her mother good-bye and pulled an awestruck Houjou to his car. The dance itself was held in a ballroom two miles from her school. It was a large rectangular building with four windows on each side and a beautiful glass ceiling that was domed upward and etched with figures of couples dancing together. Her friends greeted her at the entrance with their own dates. The group entered, Kagome's arm wrapped around that of her blushing, stuttering date. Inside the ballroom were many round tables capable of holding eight people assembled around the dance floor that was paved with a beautiful beige tile. Above each table were gorgeous glass chandeliers. Over each window were draped dark red sheets of silk that gave the whole setting a romantic feel. At the far end a small stage was constructed with a microphone stand in the middle and a DJ to the right. With his shades he surveyed all the students who came in, bopping his head softly to the music that was playing as everyone came in. Once the doors closed and everyone was seated, the director strolled onto the mike and began a long-winded speech about the importance of the exams and how they should all congratulate themselves. It was interesting for about twenty seconds before the booing began and the flustered old man was metaphorically and almost literally thrown off stage. Taking that as his cue, the DJ began his spins.

"Alright, let's dance!" Kagome screamed with a giddiness she did not feel. Grabbing hold of Houjou, she dragged him onto the floor and began to boogie. He surprised her immensely as he grabbed hold of her hips and danced to the beat quite nicely. "Well, well, well, it seems someone knows how to dance," she said aloud. 'This dance might not be too bad after all.'

An hour later, in the Sengoku Jidai, the moon watched as a red and silver blur reached the Bone-Eater's Well and jumped in. Arriving in the future, Inuyasha sniffed for the woman he loved but concluded she was not at the shrine. Confused and slightly peeved, he jumped up to her room only to find it empty. 'Gods, right when I'm ready to confess my feelings, that damn wench is off somewhere else! Gotta find her before I lose my nerve.' Catching her scent instantly, the hanyou began the careful trek through the rooftops of Tokyo to the source.

Kagome was getting tired, but at least she was enjoying herself. So far the DJ had managed to mix an hour and a half of high-quality songs that kept the floor filled with dancing couples. The swift beats of electric guitars and the constant bump of drums along with the bright evanescent strobe lights made dancing a force of will to contain the senses within the confines of your own body. Kagome had lost this battle completely, letting the musical flow push her and pull her like the tides of the sea. It had been a long time since she had danced so freely. Her hips swung and her hair was whipped from side to side in her frenzy, to which Houjou watched with fascination as he too moved to the music. Suddenly, the tempo changed, becoming slower and melodic. A young woman's voice blasted through the speakers, declaring her unrequited love to the world. The dancing couples changed step according to the love song, bringing their bodies close together. Without a moment's hesitation Kagome rested her cheek on her date's shoulder as the two softly swayed. Her eyes glanced at the red and she was suddenly reminded with Inuyasha. It was such a romantic moment and she found herself visualizing all the features of the hanyou, from his powerful gold eyes to his perfect body (which she had only seen once, and it was an accident by the way!). The love she felt for him swelled in her just then, encompassing her body in a euphoric golden fog and Houjou was no longer Houjou, but a tall figure with long silver hair and white dog ears resting on his crown. His eyes were amber flames that spoke true love to the soul that yearned for it. Closing her eyes, Kagome made the biggest mistake she could have done: she kissed Houjou.

Inuyasha landed on the roof of the ballroom. 'Her scent ends here, but where could she be?' Looking through the glass ceiling, he scanned the crowd of people until he spotted her. He first noticed the dress that produced more than one dirty thought in his mind. Wait a minute, who was that she had arms around? Jealousy gripped him in its constricting grip, sinking her fangs into his heart as his hand went for Tetsusaiga's handle. Just as he was about to draw the blade and split the pitiful human in half, he saw Kagome lean in, saw her lips connect with his, watched as their grips tightened around each other as the kiss became something deeper, something primal that even the hanyou's youkai self could understand. He was numb, feeling a shiver of something make his heart spasm before it stopped beating. He was trembling, could feel his hands and knees shake at the sight as his mind fought to maintain control. 'B-but why? I-I-I l-love her. I was ready to…' It was becoming harder and harder to focus, he felt so lightheaded. His vision was blurring and clearing, blurring and clearing. The two beneath him slowly parted. Still reeling from what he had seen, he made the mistake of looking down at _her_ face. It was filled with happiness and completion, so much so that Inuyasha could feel his lungs contract and his chest seize. The pain he was feeling he knew, recognized it in one horrible word, but the intensity with which it attacked him, rendered him completely vulnerable and on his knees, was like nothing he had ever known. A tidal wave of calm engulfed him then, clearing his thoughts of all the rampaging sensations. Feeling his legs wobble from side to side as he stood, the hanyou left the roof of the ballroom. Clouds had gathered in the night sky, obscuring the stars and moon and releasing a soft rain that washed away the salt liquid on the glass of the ceiling.

Kagome tried her best to keep her knees from giving out. She had finally got what she wanted, a kiss from Inuyasha. It had so much affection in it that she knew then that he loved her, felt it in her bones. That is, until she opened her eyes and beheld a dazed Houjou breathing heavily. His lips were brighter now and she realized with horror that it was because of her lipstick!

"Oh Houjou, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to kiss you, I mean, not that it wasn't nice, oh that's not what I'm trying to say, I mean," she continued to stammer until with a sigh she gave up and said, "I think it's time for me to go home. Can you give me a ride?" Houjou looked lost for a second. Shaking his head slightly he muttered his response.

"The car is parked too far out. We'll get soaked." Confused, Kagome looked up and realized that it was raining. 'That's strange; the weatherman said it wouldn't rain tonight. Great, looks like I'm stuck here for now.' Suggesting that they sit out the rest of the night and wait for the rain to stop, the two went to sit at the table with her friends. It was set up so that the boys all sat on one side of the table and the girls on the other. No sooner was she seated then they attacked with their questions.

"What was that about?"

"How was it?"

"Does he kiss good?"

"You gonna speak or just sit there dazed?" Kagome did not respond, preferring to count all the pieces of the chandelier above her head. Finally the girls gave up and returned to their own conversations, leaving the young miko to turn her attention from the glass lights to the sudden rain.

'So she really is happier here,' Inuyasha thought as he landed on the roof of the Higurashi shrine. He did not know where he got the strength to run but after he had left the building where Kagome was he found himself speeding full speed through the sidewalks and streets, barely missing cars and pedestrians in his blind charge. 'I always thought that she enjoyed being with Sango, Miroku, and Shippou. As for me, I knew better, but lately… maybe she does belong here. Yeah, she could have happiness here, away from all the youkai attacks, away from the hard work and constant walking, away from me. Still, the Shikon no Tama keeps her from achieving that.' He opened the window and stepped in, his clothes dripping water onto the carpet. Not bothering to sniff if anyone was home or even to turn on the light, he made his way to Kagome's backpack. 'She'll be happy here, she'll be happy here,' his mind chanted as his trembling hand rummaged through the pack until he found what he had been looking for. The vial twinkled a bright pink due to the light of the shards. The weight of what his decision implied threatened to crush him, but with a deep breath that ended in a shuddering sigh he placed the vial in the folds of his hakama. Slowly, ever so slowly he walked to the window. As his hand reached for the latch, the door behind him opened with a creak, the light of the hall casting a broad ray of illumination on the floor of the room, ending right at the edge of his feet.

Mrs. Higurashi, having decided to do a wash after Kagome had left, was taking the folded clothing into her daughter's room when she was met with a ghastly sight. There at the window was the outline of what she knew undoubtedly to be Inuyasha. After all, who else would be in Kagome's room, and with dog-ears no less! Turning on the light switch, she beheld his still wet form.

"Oh, hello Inuyasha, came for Kagome? Well, she's not here," she said cheerily, inwardly debating whether she should tell him where her daughter was. Even _she_ knew of his notorious temper, so the answer: emphatically _no_. When there was no response to her inquiry however, the young mother became concerned. "Inuyasha," she began, walking into the room but stopped dead in her tracks when she finally saw his face. It had been covered with his hair before but he had looked up at the mention of his name, as if noticing the woman for the first time. What she saw in his eyes made tears spring into hers. She had always prided herself in her ability to see into a person's soul by looking into their eyes. It made her an excellent judge of character and allowed her the strength to let her precious daughter journey through the past, but now she cursed her sensitivity. What she saw in those orbs that always held a resolute determination and gentleness now contained a black bleeding chasm that signified the shattering of a heart that had already been ravaged once before. His shoulders were slumped, his lips sloping downward, a clear sign of repressed tears. All his unconscious grace had forsaken him. Standing there by the window, he looked the very spirit of defeat. Without a word the hanyou opened the window and disappeared into the rain, leaving a teary Mrs. Higurashi in his wake. 'Oh Kagome, what have you done?'

There it was, the well that had started it all, sheltered from the falling rain by the stuffy little hut. Inuyasha stood at the edge looking into the dark abyss he knew was not there. He had been standing there for some time before, hesitating. It was not fair, but it had to be done. Kagome deserves a chance at happiness, but he knew she would probably be angry, for a lot of reasons. But if he left now, he would not return, _could_ not return. Making another decision, he used his claw to etch out his final message to the woman he loved. Then he jumped into the well. The magic gripped him as it transported him through time and released him in the Sengoku Jidai. The stars and moon greeted his return, no one else. There, in the shadow of the well bottom, he cried, letting the salt tears soak his fur and feeling the sobs shake his body like a newly orphaned child, but it did not matter. Nothing mattered anymore.

The rain was driving her crazy. Kagome couldn't explain it, but each time she looked at it she felt a deep-rooted sorrow creep into her. Everyone around her were laughing and dancing. All the noise was making her head spin. The red silk sheets, as mesmerizing as the rain, became a streak of blurred color. Having had enough, she stood up abruptly, feeling her body wobble a bit.

"Let's go Houjou, I want to leave," she said in a heavy voice. Her friends, clearly misinterpreting what she had said, gasped and giggled wildly. Said boy just looked bewildered and confused. Sighing deeply, the miko grabbed him by the arm and led him to his car, no longer caring if the rain was still falling. The sadness she had been feeling intensified as it beat against her skin. 'What does it mean? Why is my heart throbbing?' To Houjou she said, "Take me home please. I'm tired." Nodding his understanding, the boy started the car and drove her to the shrine. Nothing was said and when the steps to the temple were visible, Kagome got out of the car without saying good-bye. The steps felt slippery all of a sudden and more than once she slipped on the stilettos. Wrenching them off, she ran up the steps and reached the front door. She slid it open, walked in, and gave a general greeting to whoever might be home in one motion. Walking up the stairs and entering the room, she immediately felt that something was not right. Kagome looked around, soon noticing a puddle of water by the window, which lay open. Walking over and closing it, she continued to look for what was wrong. Her dresser was fine, the closet was fine, her desk and bed was fine, and her backpack was… wait. 'Where are the shards? Oh no, they're gone!' Panic-stricken, the young teen searched for the vial, each moment that passed leaving her feeling more desperate. 'Who could have taken them? Could it have been a demon? Inuyasha's going to be so mad… wait a minute. He was the only one who knew I had the jewel shards! But he wouldn't take them would he?' Cold Hard Logic screamed that yes, the dog-eared bastard must have taken them, but her heart told her that the situation was more than it seemed. Looking again at the puddle by the window, she knelt and inspected it for anything suspicious. Before she could really look though, she was startled by a voice behind her.

"Back so soon," the voice of Mrs. Higurashi seemed to fill the room. Kagome turned to her mother in time to have her cheek forcefully introduced to the older woman's palm. Shocked to the core, the young schoolgirl cupped her stinging cheek. "Tell me what happened at the dance right now."

"Nothing happened Mama," Kagome answered waveringly, her mind still on the kiss with Houjou/Inuyasha. Mama stood with her weight on her left leg, unimpressed.

"That's not going to cut it young lady. I want to know everything you did, now." Though her tone was deathly calm, the last word was punctured with such iciness that the young miko physically shivered before her body warmed from the embarrassment.

"Well, um, I kinda kissed Houjou while we were dancing," she finally said after a long hesitation. She had to admit she was more than a little afraid. Her mother had _never_ slapped her before, so she was treading unknown territory. Her fear and confusion deepened when Mrs. Higurashi sighed heavily.

"Around what time did this 'kiss' occur?"

"At about ten I think," was the response, although she could not be sure. What was going on? She was about to ask when her mother's words stopped her in her tracks.

"Inuyasha was here around ten-thirty. He was soaking wet, which probably means he went to look for you. Did you see anything peculiar at the dance?"

"No," she said, but the gravity of what had been said had triggered a quick chronicling of the events at the dance. Had he seen her kiss Houjou? At that moment she prayed to every Kami she knew that he had not. Nevertheless, the look in her mother's eyes at that moment told her something _really_ bad had happened.

"How could you do that to him," she demanded then, the calm tone gone, replaced with a vicious, melancholic hiss. "How can you kiss another boy when you love _him_? He was in here, there by the window with the lights off. I tried to start a conversation with him, but I couldn't reach him. He was gone. Oh, honey, those eyes screamed pain and loss. But the worse of all the powerful emotions, I could see defeat, the total surrender of his spirit to despair. He has given up Kagome, succumbed. His spirit, no doubt revived by his friendship, no longer existed. I hope I never have to see such an emotion ever again." The last sentence was spoken mostly to herself, for Kagome had run from her room, down the stairs, and out into the rain. Her feet propelled her to the well house. 'Please tell me she's wrong. Please be waiting for me. Don't be gone. Don't leave me!' Ripping open the door, she felt her heart break to behold the little shack devoid of any life. For the first time she felt tears come into her eyes. Her legs threatened to collapse beneath her as she made her way slowly to the well itself. Just as her legs gave out she reached the edge, grabbing onto it for support. The darkness obscured the bottom of the well making it seem almost bottomless, a black hole that seemed to call Kagome, enticing her to jump into oblivion. The tears continued to flow, but no sound escaped her lips. Her whole body was buzzing, almost as if millions of angry insects were walking across her skin, their sharp feet slashing beneath them. She wanted to jump, but a hideous fear overtook her, freezing her in place. Her knees tucked beneath her, she continued to stare into the depths of the Bone Eater's Well, absently running her hand along the edge. It was then she felt something strange written in the wood. Squinting her eyes in an effort to read what looked like ancient Kanji, she realized that the carving was fresh, as if recently done. Taking her time, Kagome read the lone symbol aloud.

_**Gomennasai**_

That was the last tragic piece, the element that made her final anguish complete. She knew immediately what had occurred. He had come to her time, no doubt to apologize, but she was not home. So he decided to look for her and followed her scent to the dance where he sees her kiss Houjou. What happened then she did not know, but somehow he came back to her room and took the shards. So in essence the one Kanji symbol was an apology for taking them. No, not just that, the apology encompassed everything he had done, all the times he had ever spoken harshly to her, mistreated her, and above all, it was an apology for the last thing he had said. It was Inuyasha's good-bye. At this sudden realization the dam of her emotion burst and her tears gushed forth, wracking her form with their force. She simply lay there crying, sobbing; pleading until no more tears would come. Still she stayed by the well, her soul breaking until she finally fainted from the pain. The rain continued to fall, the soft pitter-patter of tears on the roof a poignant melody for all of the world to hear. Later that night Mrs. Higurashi found her daughter unconscious on the edge of the well, her face red and eyes puffy from weeping. Picking her up silently, the woman took the miko to her room.


	3. Chapter Two

**Disclaimer**: Nope, still not mine. I wonder if my patent got lost in the mail...

**Parting**

Shippou was the first to awake the next morning. He was excited after Sango had told him that Inuyasha had went to see Kagome and couldn't wait until she would be back. Not bothering to wake the others, he sniffed the air for any signs of what he had come to consider as his mother. He found none. Confused for only a moment, he concluded that Inuyasha was probably still working on getting her back. Taking a deep breath and readying himself to welcome the day, he caught a scent that made him freeze in mid-inhalation. It was the unmistakable odor of the stubborn hanyou. Sniffing again, he found no trace of his dear Kagome. What was going on? Why was he back, and where was Kagome? 'That baka, he better not have done anything to make her mad,' the kitsune thought angrily as he ran to the source of the scent. His sudden movement woke Kirara, who mewled loudly at her abrupt awakening. The chain reaction continued until finally everyone in the hut was awake, each groggily wondering what had occurred. Sango noticed first.

"Where's Shippou?"

Inuyasha woke with a start. For a moment he thought he had had the most horrible dream. As he stood, he felt a soft pulse of energy in his robes and the night before came crashing back all at once. 'Kagome…' His musing was cut short when he heard soft footsteps racing toward him. He knew immediately who's feet they belonged to and he knew also that he would have to have face them all eventually. Deciding that now, however, would not be that time, he crouched as low as he could before leaping into the air. The sun blinded him for a second before he oriented himself. With another jump the hanyou disappeared into the forest just as the young kitsune reached the well. Not stopping for a second, Inuyasha ran through the trees. There was somewhere he needed to be, and someone he needed to see before he could do what he knew he had to do.

Shippou stood on the edge of the well and peered into it. Inuyasha's scent was strong inside as well as a faded smell of salt that the kitsune did not recognize. However, the hanyou was nowhere to be seen. Confusion developed within the young child and he decided to sit down and ponder the mystery before him. As for the rest of the group, they had Kirara follow the kit's scent. Imagine if you will their reaction at finding young Shippou sitting cross-legged at the edge of the Bone-Eater's Well, his fist holding up his chin with a thoughtful look on his face. Sango couldn't help but notice how unbelievably adorable he looked while Miroku wondered what had brought him here in the first place. Upon noticing their arrival, Shippou stood and welcomed them.

"What are you doing here Shippou," Miroku asked. The kitsune gave his explanation quickly before returning back to the hut. The grown-ups would figure it out; all he had to do was wait. As for said adults, they were just as confused as their younger charge. "What do you think this means, Lady Sango," the monk finally asked after a long silence.

"I don't know. I thought that after yesterday Kagome would come back for sure," she said, reminding herself of her promise. Right after Inuyasha had run off, he appeared again and made the taijiya swear their little heart-to-heart to secrecy. She understood and agreed to take what had been said to the grave. "Something terrible must've happened." Worry was biting at her heels as her teeth gnawed on her lower lip. 'Did he back out? What if he messed up? That hanyou had better not have bungled things up and broken her heart!'

The trees of the forest blurred past him as he made his way to his destination. So many disjointed images in his mind as he leapt from branch to branch. Each hurt more and more until he started to just run, barely registering as a stray limb slapped against his chest. His body cut a path through the canopy until abruptly the forest ended, revealing a large grass-covered hill. The hill overlooked a tiny village in the distance. At the top of the knoll were the charred remains of what had once been a great house. Inuyasha breathed in deeply and sighed. The smell of jasmine was everywhere, just like it used to be. Many years had passed since he had returned here, but everything that had happened demanded that he visit this place. He knew what it meant to come back, but he needed her right now. Entering through what used to be the front door, Inuyasha made his way through the ruin. His mind's eye put everything in its place and he walked down the hall to the door on the far right. The gaping hole posing for an exit revealed a garden with a lake running around it in a haphazard pattern. A red arching bridge connected the little island on two sides. Not trusting their dependability he hopped over and saw what he came for.

"Hi mom." The stone in the middle of the mini-island greeted him silently, making him feel instantly at ease. Here, in the resting place of his beloved mother he sat, his back leaning against the expressionless stone that marked her grave. "I know it's been a long time since I came to visit, but a lot has happened." At that he paused, gathering his forces. He came to bare his soul, and the fear he felt at that moment was horrifying. Then he talked and talked, telling his mother everything, from his many lonely years after the fire that destroyed his childhood, of meeting Kikyou and falling in love, of Naraku's deception and how the monster pitted her against him. After the fifty years in which he slept, he told her of Kagome. At that point it became harder and harder to talk. Just thinking about her made his insides churn with pain, made his heart constrict with each mental image of the woman he loved. But he would not stop, he could not, she deserved to know, even if Kagome would not, and might never know. Salt drops trickled down his cheeks, forcing his body to tremble with each tear that fell on his chest. Her smile, her kind eyes, it hurt so much! Finally the pain forced his mouth shut and the hanyou sat in the skeleton of his home with his heart shattering once again. After some time, he felt a sudden rush of calm gush over him. It felt like someone just embraced him from behind. The calm reached into his heart, slowing its frantic throbbing. The tears stopped, never to fall again. Inuyasha closed his eyes, letting the tranquility steel his resolve. "Thank you," he said to the stone behind him, the spirit that was lending him her strength. A moment's silence later he stood up straight and left the wreckage of his innocence. A mask now covered his face, bottling the emotions that he could no longer use. Turning back one more time, he bowed low before the ruins. "Good-bye mother, it was nice seeing you again." The wind blew and the hanyou vanished.

Sango could feel madness tease her and worry disintegrating her insides like acid. From the deductions made at the well, it became increasingly clear that something grave has come to pass. Miroku, although not as worried as his counterpart, was interested in Inuyasha. 'Surely he did not forget to bring her? I do not believe he would come back without her…' As for Kaede, she chose to keep quiet both in speech and mind, using the patience that came with age. She knew that the hanyou would return and all that they could do was wait. Shippou had long lost interest in the quiet of the hut. Enticing Kirara, the two ran up to their favorite hill to play. So engrossed were they in their game of wrestling that neither noticed the blur of red jet past them at the foot of the hill. Inuyasha slowed down as he neared Kaede's hut until he casually walked through the screen that acted as a door. The inhabitants all turned to see who had come in. Several minutes passed in hushed silence before Miroku spoke first.

"Ohayo Inuyasha-chan, how are you?" The hanyou remained at the door without answering. Sango finally snapped.

"What happened on the other side of the well," she blurted, the worry in her demanding that she ask before she burst. The look on the hanyou's face unnerved her as his glassy eyes fixed on her.

"It was enlightening." At that moment Shippou and Kirara, having caught the hanyou's scent, appeared at the door. The questions began even as the screen swung close behind him.

"You're back? Why are you alone? Where's Kagome? Did you fight? Is she in the fields…" The interrogation would have continued were it not for Inuyasha lashing out, grabbing the kitsune and placing him on his lap after sitting down. The sudden gesture silenced the child, allowing for Inuyasha to finally began talking.

"After going through the well, I went looking for Kagome, but I couldn't find her. Her mother told me she had been sent on an errand so I decided to wait in her room for her. I waited a long time before the wench finally came back. The moment she saw me she started screaming at me, insulting me and calling me the biggest jerk she had ever known." As he spoke, the monk and taijiya noticed that despite what he said, which seemed to hint at a very harsh argument between them, there existed no change whatsoever in his countenance or tone. He could have been talking about why the sky was blue for all they knew. That and what he said afterwards proved that it was all a lie. "So I gave the wench a piece of mind, letting her know that she had obligations other than the ones of her time and that she was coming back with me. So we screamed back and forth until she said she wanted nothing to do with me and threw the shards at me." Oh Gods, who knew that those words would hurt him so much, for they were truth in disguise. There was more he had planned to say but his throat had had enough, closing off entirely. The kitsune in Inuyasha's lap had remained quiet as he talked and produced the vial as evidence for the false argument. Shippou understood then what it meant. Kagome was gone; she was never coming back, she had been taken from him. This realization made his eyes burn and with a choked cry he leapt from where he lay lodged. Turning on the hanyou, the kitsune beat his tiny fists against the hard red mountain.

"Why did you have to fight? You stubborn baka, you left her there! How could you? Why didn't you just apologize? Why? WHY? I hate you! I hate you so MUCH!" At the last screamed syllable the young child left the hut, his tears sprinkling the wooden floor. Kirara silently followed her juvenile charge, acting as both protector and supporter. Once the neko was gone, Kaede spoke for the first time.

"I think tis time that ye provide a more accurate account of what occurred on the other side of the well Inuyasha," she said softly, her tone giving nothing away. A tremble past across the hanyou's emotionless mask, but he did not answer. The silence preyed on Sango's mind, placing wild notions and conjectures onto its feverish surface.

"What is it, Inuyasha? What happened," she said, the last word trailing into nothingness, desperation now openly apparent. This time the hanyou looked at her, clearly smelling the worry that ate at her, tortured her. But he could not tell the truth; his pride would never allow it. The pain belonged to him and him alone. At the same time though, he could not leave the poor taijiya like this. So he summed it all up in just one sentence that only she would understand.

"You were wrong, Sango, you were wrong." She did not work out what he meant immediately, instead staring intently at her friend's face. She waited and waited until finally it cracked in the form of a single solitary drop of fluid pooling at the corner of his right eye. The conversation she had had with him came back to her with the force of a tsunami.

"It's okay to feel this way Inuyasha. You love her. And she loves you. I know it. Go to her, she's waiting."

Before she could respond to the dawning awareness he dropped another announcement on the group. "I came here to say farewell. I will go and seek the rest of the shards alone." This time Miroku stood up. It was time for this chaos to end.

"Hold on Inuyasha, are you saying that you are leaving us," he asked, trying to find another meaning in his declaration. 'What could have possibly possessed him to do this?'

"Yes Houshi-sama," he said, Miroku wincing at being called his title by his friend. "I have decided."

"You decided to just up and leave, is that it? You're going to play the lone wolf now that you have no use for us anymore," demanded the distraught taijiya. "Have you forgotten that Naraku also has Shikon shards? Are you telling us to stop hunting him as well? Are you that selfish?"

"Enough Sango," he said sharply, silencing the exterminator. "I am not asking you to stop your quest for vengeance. All I ask is that you do not search for any more shards." His mask still firmly in place, the hanyou stood up. Bowing low to Lady Kaede, he left the hut, the monk and taijiya in close pursuit. Sango summoned Kirara and the two prepared to give chase to their fleeing comrade but were stopped by the wizened old body of Kaede.

"Leave him be."

"Kaede-sama, he's getting away," Miroku said with just a hint of desperation.

"Inuyasha must complete his journey alone now. He has suffered a terrible sadness and must cope with it on his own." Hearing the monk sigh exasperatedly, she explained, "When Inuyoukai mate, they are together for life. There is no other that can destroy their devotion to the chosen mate. Inuyasha has chosen Kagome to be his life-partner, his soul's repose, his love. What specifically came to pass we might never know, but it seems clear that Inuyasha had reason to believe that Kagome had rejected him. Just like the cataclysmic obliteration of his heart, his youkai self suffered a fatal blow. He will never love another, even if he tried. No female, be it human or youkai would ever take him. He has been condemned to a life of solitude once again. Leave him be, let him be." Sango felt a great wave of pity and sadness overtake her but she was not about to let Inuyasha leave like that and neither would Miroku. Mounting Kirara, the two followed the Inuhanyou's scent. Trees rustled as he plowed a path through the forest. As the running hanyou reached a small patch of clearing, the two blocked his path.

"Inuyasha, I demand an explanation," Miroku said with great frustration, feeling his anger slipping from his grasp. That damnable mask took its place on the hanyou's face.

"No." At that word the monk gave up, deciding he might try to beat it out of the stubborn fool, swinging his staff at the red-clad figure. Aforementioned hanyou hopped out of the way, unsheathing his sword. Not surprisingly, it did not transform. It was meant to protect humans after all. Taking it in stride, Inuyasha still swung in a downward arch. The battered-looking blade connected with the houshi's right shoulder blade, knocking him out instantly. Using the distraction, Sango threw Hiraikotsu and successfully removed it from the hanyou's grasp. The sword lay suspended for a split second before coming to rest near the edge of the clearing. However, in the course of the disabling, the giant boomerang was drilled into the ground not far from it. Now without weapons, Sango and Inuyasha took stances and attacked. Punch, punch, block, kick, dodge, hop, punch, uppercut, right hook, block, block, stance, punch, kick, the pattern continued, Inuyasha's youkai-enhanced speed and Sango's skills hindered by her yukata made the two evenly matched. Neither spoke as limb contacted with limb. What could the taijiya possibly say? Still, she couldn't let another friend leave her, so she fought that much harder. He wouldn't go anywhere if he were unconscious right? As for the Inuhanyou, his pride refused to let them travel with him. He would not allow them to see his weakness. 'Let them know me for my strength, not my tears.' From the higher branches of a tree a pair of small eyes watched the fighters, the corners red from weeping. The salt tang of tears reached Inuyasha's nose, destroying the mask instantly; revealing eyes empty of all hope, of all happiness. All there remained was the same emptiness Higurashi-sama had seen, revealing the darkest void she had ever seen, darker than even Miroku's Kazaana. Kaede's words repeated in her mind and the will to fight left her. The hanyou walked over to where his sword lay on the ground. Picking it up and sheathing it, he turned his back on them and began disappearing into the trees. The two eyes took form as Shippou came out of the shadows and appeared in the clearing, fresh tears trickling down his cheeks. He was angry at the hanyou, no doubt about that. That bastard had taken away the closest thing he had ever had to a mother since the real thing. Not to mention no more candy or chocolate! 'I hate him,' he had thought. But now, seeing him walk away too, to see him leave, it hurt just as bad. Any anger he might have had melted in the face of the possibility that he might never see Inuyasha again. Just before the silhouette vanished into the forest shadows, one word broke through the pursed lips of the kitsune.

"Chichi-ue…"

God, how it hurt! He slammed his fist into a tree; unable to relish the way it gave under his strength. Shippou had blamed him for all that had happened, but not even that could anger him. They would all blame him no doubt, but at least it was better than pity. The hanyou continued his slow walk among the trees, his mind devoid of thoughts. The slate had been wiped clean and it was time to start a new story. He knew he was being followed, knew the flea-demon that was trying valiantly to be discrete, but he did nothing. He had just turned away his friends, but Myouga was different. Despite his cowardice and his nasty habit of telling the bluntest truth, he was still Inuyasha faithful servant, passed down from his parents themselves. He was family now, the only one he had left. Myouga held the impending insanity at bay, for now. So the two trekked until nightfall, their doomed quest continuing.


	4. Chapter Three

**Disclaimer:** Nope, negotiations for ownership still pending, have to wait on the honorable penguin judge to come back for his bathroom break...

A/N: Wow, I finally updated this story! you have no idea how much pain I was in when I couldn't type. But now that school finally eased up a bit, I should be able to get back into it. Yay! Well, enjoy!

**Void**

Here lies Kagome Higurashi, daughter of Shiori and Shinji Higurashi, young miko, born on the sunrise, now in perpetual darkness. Her eyes are glazed over, shoulders slumped, chest rising and falling with the barest of breathing. She sits on her furrowed bed with her chin resting on her knees and arms wrapped around her, staring off into nothing. Since she had awoken more than three days ago she had been in that position, unresponsive to anything around her. In the absolute silence of the room her thoughts tore her heart out. 'Inuyasha…' Tears sprang at the mere mention and recollections of each beautiful, perfect detail of his figure assaulted her subconscious. His angelic white hair and the furry white ears that peaked from beneath the bangs; fiery golden eyes so consumed with turmoil and life; his lips. Red as the fire-rat fur he wore but so thin, so straight, as if he had never smiled. From the very first time she had seen him she had wanted to see him smile. Little by little, this desire became a need for his mirth, his love. When the dreams began she could not say, but Inuyasha was always there, smiling at her, hands in her hair, then cheeks, his lips on hers. They embrace and let the heat of their bodies drive away the doubts and fears. Even as the garments fell her eyes remained locked with his communicating all the love she felt. Two become one on the bed, their rhythm timeless, primordial as a coil in her gut tightened more and more until with a soft sigh she would be released from her dream. Such intimate and happy moments proved extremely helpful during any run-ins with Kikyou. Now they were her reason not to sleep. The love she felt wracked with the all-consuming guilt never left her. It branded her, a hellish scarlet letter imprinted into her very soul. A sob broke the silence as she once again replayed that night. It all led up to the kiss. Shame burned her cheeks at her moment of weakness. And he had seen! Inuyasha saw it all. Another sob, louder than before, broke through as she imagined his face. Her mother's dark description supplied the base and she filled in the anger, jealousy, and betrayal. Hatred clamored to be included, but Kagome knew better. Inuyasha could never hate her, never had any reason to. 'Until now,' she thought as she buried her face in her knees and cried.

Shiori hardly ever cried, not since Shinji's death, but tonight her tears were just as thick and unstoppable as that fateful night when she had witnessed the death of a soul. She felt badly for striking Kagome, despite how much the young fool deserved it, but it was in the past. All that Higurashi-sama offered now was support to the teen that seemed to have decided to remain in her room for the rest of her life, refusing all food and water. Even when she left her room to use the restroom, Shiori could always hear a retching sound followed by a sob and the slam of a door. She could feel Kagome's pain, but knew better than to presume its magnitude. 'She has to eat something or she'll waste away,' she thought as she balanced the young miko's dinner while going up the stairs, knowing full well that her daughter was already wasting away. Knocking softly on the door before opening, Shiori entered the room. A ghastly sight met her eyes. The room itself remained as disorganized as it had been that night, right down to the wet stain by the door. Papers lay scattered across the floor, clothing in the corner, and bed sheets crumpled. As for its sole occupant (Buyo knew better than to disturb his mistress right now), she was a whole different matter. Dress and shoes removed and thrown in a corner like so much dirty trash, with hair wild and tossed to and fro during the crying fits, and the black pajamas she wore painfully fitting the mood of the room. At the sound of the door hinges and the sudden shaft of light in the otherwise dark room, the young teen turned to see. Her eyes held no hope, glazed over with pain and memory, fueling the sadness that attacked her mercilessly, stopping her mother cold. After moment-long eternities past a flicker of recognition raced across those orbs.

"Mama…" she said then, voice hoarse from her sobs and wails. The tray of food fell to the floor when Shiori rushed to her broken daughter. Too much pain, such anguish in those eyes! And the guilt, obliterating all rationality! Kagome did not respond immediately to her mother's tears on her shoulder or her mumbled apologies. Nevertheless, it did not take long for her to wrap arms around Shiori and renew her sobbing. Their collective cries mingled with the thunder as the rain continued to fall.

"I have to say that what you ask of me is strange Inuyasha," Toutousai said, holding his demonic hammer over his right shoulder. The situation was strange indeed. Usually whenever the hanyou came by for a visit it involved either strengthening the Tetsusaiga or a demand for secrets about the blade itself. This time, however, all Inuyasha did was nod his head silently, eyes attuned to the flame separating them. A foreign look assailed them, very unlike the proud and stubborn young man he had seen. The silence continued until finally Myouga provided details, or at least the meager interpretations he _could_ offer, since Inuyasha refused to divulge anything about the incident. Basically, the flea only reported on the visit to Iyazoi's grave and the parting at Kaede's hut.

"As you can see, many things have occurred all at once," the old demon stated as a conclusion. The sword smith, being of far more years and experience, already guessed the gist of the situation. The decision was made.

"Very well Inuyasha, I shall forge the sword for you and have it sent to where you specified. I'm sure it will be put to good use." A shudder ran across the hanyou's skin as he released the breath he had been holding ever since he made the request. He rustled in his haori for a second before pulling out a letter.

"Please leave this with the blade as well," he said in the same soft, dead tone of voice. Business concluded, the hanyou stood, feeling his teeth with delicate fingers before ripping a choice fang from its gum without so much as a wince. Myouga returned to his master's shoulder and the two left the cave. Toutousai looked on at the retreating back with sad eyes. 'Good luck young one. The pain is just beginning for you.'

Six days past. Six meager little days since complete and total upheaval, the destruction of old followed by the re-creation of the older. All constancy had vanished from his sight. Shippou felt lost in the very field he had played in every day. Kirara was not there, nor Miroku or Sango. Too much like back then, he had to find a way out! Anguished thoughts and feverish memories fueled his legs as the kitsune entered the forest. Stop it, have to stop the storm, a tempest raging and slicing his reason with horsehide, stinging winds and tortured howling in his ears. Tears fell from his cheeks, the only outward sign of his pain. An occasional sniffle escaped, but Shippou always regained control in time. Just as he took a deep breath to calm down, a well-known scent entered his nostrils, musky and male. 'Inuyasha!' The kitsune charged through the trees, the odor leading him ultimately to the clearing, ground zero. Instead of the tall silver-haired hanyou, however, there lay a bright shining object in the exact center. Inching closer, Shippou soon noticed that it was a small sword sheathed in a crimson scabbard. Golden thread crisscrossed around the handle and the same powerful youki Shippou had sensed within Inuyasha radiated from the blade. Beside the tantou rested a letter. On the cover was written- "For the brat's eyes only." Shaking hands broke the seal and the kitsune read:

Not really sure how to start, so I'll just get right to it.

In your hands rests a sword from Toutousai, forged from one of my fangs. Think of it as my way of apologizing to you for how I acted with you, even if you did deserve most of it. Anyway, I have a task for you, cubby. Sango and Miroku will no doubt depart soon to continue their hunt for Naraku. When they are gone all that will be left to protect the village will be Kaede-chan, and we know how weak that old hag is…

So when they leave, Shippou, stay behind. Protect the village and live in peace. Without me or… your mother to tie you to danger, you might have a chance to grow up right. There won't be prejudice, since the villagers already know you, and few attacks, seeing as there is nothing for demons to steal. You'll be a lot better off. You should have the opportunity to live a good life without too much pain, everyone does.

Don't get me wrong. This is not a bribe or an excuse. I could care less if you took the Byakkoken (that's its name) and went off to join the hunt either for Naraku or me (but you'll never find me), or if you just walk away. The blade will transform for you anyway. But once you choose a path, stick to it. No use in leaving anything half-done.

Believe me, I know what you're feeling. The pain of losing a parent is terrible, like an endless rockslide slamming against you with each breath, until your ribs ache and you just want to crawl into a dark corner and die. Use that pain, let it make you better, stronger. Learn from it that in the end there's only one person who matters: you. No one else will ever fight as hard for your life than yourself.

If that doesn't work, then just remember that you are a demon. Your mother's time is a mere five hundred years away. That's nothing for a cub like you. Just survive until then Shippou; so that you can see her again, feel her hug you with the same maternal love as before. Know happiness again.

Well, I guess that's about it for me. Time to end this. I leave the decision of the sword's use to you. Never forget the love of your friends, and know that you will always have someone who is proud of you. See you around, brat.

A watery smile formed on the kitsune's face as he folded the letter and put it in the folds of his shirt. Picking up the sheath, he found it surprisingly light. Separating sword from scabbard, Shippou revealed a silver blade made of flawless steel. A strange heat formed around his hand, traveled up his arm, and eventually encompassed his entire body. Fear lasted only a second, as a deep inner voice told him quite clearly that the Byakkoken had accepted him as its master. No sooner did he make this realization that the steel expanded outward, becoming a large falchion before the kitsune's very eyes. Ancient kanji appeared on the blade, each depicting an honorable virtue or quality. The final symbol, the one closest to the handle, read 'Sentaku' (choice). The smile grew as Shippou swung the sword in every direction before returning it to its sheath tied around his waist. With head held high he returned to the village. Never again would the clearing see the kitsune in pain. As Shippou reached Kaede's hut, he saw Kirara sleeping by the door, tails undulating softly. He scratched her head fondly before entering. Seated around the low fire were the taijiya, monk, and wizened priestess, all silent. At his entrance they all looked at him. He knew the drill, sit down by the fire, stay silent, and wait for the bomb to drop. Sure enough, Miroku took a deep breath.

"Shippou, the time has come to leave the village to continue the search for Naraku. Get ready for the journey." The kitsune inwardly smiled at the idea of fighting alongside them with his new sword, but he had already made a promise. So, with the conviction of a child under oath, he declined. The silence of the hut deafened him.

Sango tried, she really did. After all, it wasn't like Shippou was in the right state of mind, right? With Inuyasha gone and no Kagome, the kitsune was lashing out at those around him. Of course he wanted to go with them! What else could he possibly do? He didn't want to leave her too, did he? Therein sprouted the seed, when she finally registered his refusal to travel with them. Her eyes sharpened in an effort to find the terminal defect that had invaded her youngest charge. Where the hell had that sword come from?

"Shippou, what is that tied to your waist," she asked in a deceptively calm tone of voice. The kitsune did not answer. Miroku noticed the weapon as well. Its creator was obvious and the monk could see that a choice had been made. So he stood and walked to the door.

"Well, it seems clear that any fears I might have had concerning the safety of this village are unwarranted. Farewell for now, young guardian," he said with a bow before leaving. Sango, aghast, ran after him and demanded what the _hell_ had happened in there. He just smiled. "I'm sure you saw the sword, did you not Lady Sango?"

"Yeah, so what?"

"That blade could have only come from Inuyasha. I would even bet all my yen that it was forged from his own fang."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, my dear, it means that little Shippou can finally move on from the slump he was in. You must understand that he has lost his parents _again_. Such a traumatic experience has the ability to warp a young mind. Shippou needs _something_ to occupy his time as well as a memory of his past and Inuyasha provided him with both." Comprehension dawned on the taijiya. She didn't like the fact that she would have to leave _another_ friend behind, but it was the best course of action. Shippou did not belong on the battlefield. Resolute, she whistled to Kirara. The cat transformed and waited as Sango mounted. For a moment she and Miroku locked eyes before she reached out to help him. Silent as the grave, the three flew off into the sky. The new village guardian watched them go.

"KAZE NO KIZU!" The cry echoed through the forest followed by a resounding thud. Inuyasha sheathed Tetsusaiga as he approached the blasted remains of the hebiyoukai. The vial in his haori pulsated faster with each step closer, forming a constant sheen of energy by the decapitated head. Never hesitating, the hanyou slammed his fist through its skull and searched for what he knew was there. After ten minutes of wading the brain waves, he pulled out the jewel shard. 'How the hell did he get it in there anyway,' he thought as he wiped the tissue off his entire arm and put the shard in the vial with its eight brothers. Myouga appeared on his shoulder, ready to voice his opinion.

"Well done Inuyasha-sama. You were able to find and destroy the demon and obtain its jewel shard."

"Yeah, after hunting for almost five days! These damn things don't react to another shard until its right in front of it! At this pace we'll never complete the jewel!" Despite his angry tone and exaggerated hand gestures, the nomiyoukai could sense the desperation rising from the depths. A slight tremble sneaked into the hanyou's hands as his rant became louder and his fists punched holes in nearby trees. This was not good; he had to find a way to calm his master down. That was his purpose in the end. Myouga was useless in battle since he always ran from them and he could not cook or hunt. But he had a link to the past, a cache of stories and memories that could soothe the savage beast within Inuyasha's soul. Three months have come and gone since the parting and the quest for the jewel resumed anew. And only one shard to show for it. Times like these reminded Myouga of the immense value that Kagome's miko ability had on the journey. She could see the shards and purify them, two skills his master did not possess. Even as they continued walking aimlessly the nomiyoukai watched Inuyasha. His countenance had not changed and the vial continued to pulse with a pink glow. 'So far so good,' he thought as his shoulders relaxed. Suddenly Inuyasha stopped, clutching his chest as the soft pink glow pulsated erratically, the light shifting between pink and black. The evil in the new shard had begun to spread to the others, just as Myouga had feared. Without a miko's purifying abilities, his master would be unable to resist the power of the shards. Many tense moments past as the hanyou fell to his knees and clutched his chest harder.

Overwhelming, such anger and hatred in that one shard! It went tendrils through his chest to his heart, searching for the weakness that would render him a slave to the Jewel. A bitter smile took the place of the grimace on his face. Closing his eyes, he let the shard exert its full influence on him, feeling a blast of power shake him. The tendrils he felt around his mind dissipated. The shards shone brightly and dulled to a soft pink glow again. 'Can't control what's not there.'

Myouga sighed as his master resumed his walk. He did not fully understand what had transpired, but it was clear Inuyasha had found a way to keep the darkness of the shard from his heart. The quest continued on, but it became increasingly clear that without Kagome it would probably be a long time before they find another shard. Weeks bled by until two months past before the next break literally crossed their path.

Kouga was _not_ worried, that would be bad. Still, he could not get over the fact that he smelled that mutt's scent and not that of his woman. Dismissing it at first glance, since there had been times when she had gone somewhere for a while, he made a few extra sniffs. He was alone; there was no scent of incense or womanly musk, not even kitsune or neko. Curiosity finally got the better of him and he ran to intercept the filthy half-breed.

"Hey mutt, what are you doing around here," he demanded loudly, "And where's Kagome?" Inuyasha said nothing but at the mention of the name the wolf demon could smell a spike in the other's scent. The hanyou, however, just realized that he was within reach of three shards.

"What do you want you scrawny wolf? Finally decided to hand over your jewel shards?"

"In your dreams mutt. I asked you a question: where's Kagome?" At that point the bravado ceased. Inuyasha brought out Tetsusaiga and readied the Wind Scar. The sudden change made Kouga take a step back. For a moment he was confused but it suddenly dawned on him. A devilish smile lit up his wolfish features. "I get it… she finally left, didn't she? She realized that I'm the only one for her and left your filthy self all alone! Now all I have to do is find her and…" he could not finish because the roar of the wind slicing in half alerted him to the giant blade rushing toward him. He leapt back, just barely missing the tip as it grazed his skin. Another swing came immediately afterwards, faster and more powerful. Kouga looked up at his opponent, demanding a reason for such an unprovoked attack. His steps faltered to see the icy cold in those eyes, the utter lack of emotion. The swings came with a precision and speed only the most powerful of demons could wield. Were it not for the shards in his legs he would not be able to dodge. They danced among the trees, Inuyasha swinging and Kouga evading. Finally the wolf demon saw an opportunity and hopped to the right as the blade shot forward in a stab. Using the hanyou's weight Kouga knocked the sword away and punched his opponent in the chest. Inuyasha slammed into a tree and fell to his knees on the ground. The victor snickered. "Don't bother getting up mutt, you know you're nothing without your precious sword.

That bastard! How dare he assume such things about Kagome! How dare that scrawny wolf mock and scorn his pain! A voice within begged him to remain calm, but without Tetsusaiga, control felt like such a burden. 'Let go,' a stronger voice said in a velvety tone. 'Let the anger, the bloodlust consume you. Kill! Kill the enemy!' The world exploded in red before everything went black.

Myouga watched from the branch as the stripes spread across his master's cheeks. 'Kouga you fool. You shall regret what you have done.'

Kouga snorted arrogantly as he turned to walk away. Just as he started his trademark tornado, a strong pulse of youki made him pause. It was coming from behind him, from the half-breed! Turning quickly he found the spot by the tree empty. A rustle to his left warned him too late as he felt claws pierce his skin. Time slowed to a crawl as the fingers pushed deeper into the wolf-demon's chest before he slapped them away. Where had that speed come from? The scent of pure demon was everywhere. A rush of breeze the only indication of the next slash, Kouga quickly realized beating the hanyou would not be so easy; he would have to kill him.

Rage, so much rage in his veins. Defiler, he must kill the slandering bastard that insulted his mate. Kill, kill, kill! Die scrawny wolf! No one talks about Kagome that way!

Kouga used the Shikon shards to form a tornado, propelling him into the air. Scanning the trees he saw a glimpse of red to his right. Throwing a punch he succeeded in knocking the hanyou back. Unfazed, Youkai Inuyasha flipped up and resumed attacking. The chief battle that raged now was within the wolf demon lord. Swallow hi pride and run from the enraged hanyou, quite possibly saving his life, or stay and fight until the impertinent beast lay dead as his feet. Ignoring his instincts to run, Kouga took the offensive.

'Die! Die! DIE! The bastard defiler must die! He made fun of Kagome!' The rushing thoughts halted for a split second. 'Kagome? My mate… what am I doing?' The red haze disappeared and he was met with Kouga running toward him. Dodging, his mind worked to remember. That damn scrawny wolf had slandered Kagome and without his sword, his youkai blood sprang forth. A burst of pride swelled his chest when he saw the huge gash on the wolf demon's chest. He picked up Tetsusaiga during one of his sprints and continued to dodge, just waiting. There was a strange tint in his opponent's scent. It was laced with fear! Another stroke of the ego. 'Wait for it, Inuyasha, wait for that one moment,' he told himself as he continued to elude the punches and kicks. Suddenly, Kouga shot his fist at Inuyasha's face. The hanyou hopped back and launched the Wind Scar point-blank range.

Kouga could feel the blast of youki slice through his fur and burning his skin. The force of the impact sent him flying back. As he lay on the ground struggling to stand he noticed the change in the air. The scent of a full demon was gone, replaced by the stench of the half-breed. As for said half-breed he studied the wolf demon warily with sword resting behind his neck. A smile crossed his face.

"Does it hurt Ookamitaishou? That is the taste of defeat. Now hand over your shards or I might have to cut off the limbs they reside in," he said, the fire in his eyes clear showing his determination to do just that. Fury pumped in Kouga's veins at the arrogance in the hanyou's tone. Never mind that he had been beaten! That doesn't matter anyway! That filthy beast was not about to get _his_ jewel shards!

"Screw you half-breed, like I would willingly turn over my shards to you!" With that statement the proud wolf demon lord of the mountains turned and ran. Inuyasha watched him with amused and frustrated eyes. Truth be told, he was glad the wolf had ran because at that moment his legs gave out. That Wind Scar had taken everything left in him. The world blurred as he lay back to take a little nap. From far off on a ridge, a figure in white and red watched from a ridge, a longbow across her shoulder. She had seen the whole thing.

"What has happened to you," Kikyou's voice asked to the wind. "Where are your band and that reincarnation of mine? Have you forsaken them? Are you finally ready to go to Hell with me?" These questions the breeze could not answer, so the ageless miko decided to ask in person and she descended the cliff.

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Whew, that actually took me a while to do... hope you liked it! Next chapter coming soon... wait for it! Ja ne! 


	5. Chapter Four

**Disclaimer:** Well, the official announcement is that ownership went to Rumiko, but we all know better...right? Guess not... oh well, I tried.

AN: I'm back! Let's get this straight. Esumym, the most beautiful creature I've ever seen, is in complete control of the major events. Without her this story would go nowhere. As for the ending or any possible reconcilliation between Inuyasha and Kagome, you're just gonna have to keep reading. I promise you will not be disappointed. Thanks to all those who reviewed, you guys are the best! Alright, let's get to the chapter before I spring a leak...

**Pain**

A sigh of irritation escaped the confines of her teeth. The monk beside her just smiled patiently.

"Arrgh! Sixth inn in two months and none of them have any idea where Naraku is," the taijiya said with fists balled and shaking with aggravation. The smile remained on Miroku's face.

"Well, at least they knew who Naraku _was_ this time. The other villagers had never even heard of him." Not altogether a bad thing, but it still presented problems. However, he should have been worrying about himself at the moment since he had just foolishly reminded Sango of his presence. Sure enough, the woman turned and vented.

"Oh shut up Houshi! Stop being so calm and figure out a plan! I'm tired of all these dead ends!" As the woman resumed walking, Miroku felt his smile waver in the face of that tirade. 'She's been very irritable since we left Kaede's village. I wonder… is she still coming to grips with the parting?' The thought brought a sharp jolt of pain but he pushed it aside. That could wait. It could not interfere now, not when his beloved is need of comfort. And the perfect chance was coming up to apply a nice change of mood. Kirara transformed in order to carry the duo to the next lead and Sango readied to mount the flaming neko. Miroku decided to help out by giving her a little _boost_.

The palm on her rear made the memories slam against her heart. Kagome, Shippou, Inuyasha, they were all gone. All that remained was a lecherous monk with an unnatural obsession with her ass. Something within the depths of her self-control snapped and she whipped around, her hand trailing behind and landing on his cheek. The resounding slap was deafening in his ears but she didn't notice.

"Damn it all Houshi-sama you know I hate it when you do that! Why, then, do you constantly feel the need to touch me there? I swear one of these days I'm going to castrate you and feed the remains to the first demon we meet!" The anger seared her veins, pumping off round after round of insults and accusations until Miroku no longer smiled. There was a predatory glint in her eye and all the monk could feel was fear. "And another thing… I'm so sick and tired of the way you proposition every pretty girl we meet! Its immoral and sick and I hate it! And don't feed me that bullshit that you're just searching for an heir, all you want is to sleep with them, plain and simple! You're a despicable excuse for a monk!" The tirade ended with a large sigh and slap across the other cheek before the taijiya, worn out and close to tears, climbed atop Kirara and flew into the trees. Miroku stood in stone shock as she disappeared. His mind was racing as it struggled to process everything that had occurred. It appeared she had just lost control of her emotions, but he knew better than to use that as an excuse. Sango might have a lot of pain inside her, but she would _never_ say anything that wasn't a lie, not even in anger. This realization made his heart tremble ever so slightly before control restored itself. The mask safely in place, the monk turned in the opposite direction. Suddenly a deep voice from above called his name. Hatchi appeared with a rush of air, his raccoon form hopping from one foot to another and a look of panic in his eyes.

"Miroku-sama, Miroku-sama," he called; seemingly oblivious to the fact that aforementioned monk stood just three feet from him.

"What is it Hatchi-san?"

"Oh, my lord, it's Mushin-sama! He is sick, master! He has lost strength even to get out of bed! He's dying milord, he's dying!" The demon was rapidly approaching hysteria and many of the villagers stepped onto the road to see what all the commotion was.

"Calm down Hatchi," he said soothingly, while inwardly he struggled to find a solution. He knew what to do, but hesitation halted him and forced him to look to the treetops. Hurt and pain seized him before he made his decision. "Take me to him." The raccoon demon transformed and the two made their way to the Buddhist temple.

Inuyasha awoke instantly but made no movement. Something was near he could feel it. Testing the air, he filtered the scent of clay. His ears twitched at the rustle of the leaves to his left. She was here. Closing his eyes to the inevitable, the hanyou waited.

"Inuyasha," came the soft stoic voice of the past. "I know you are awake so you might as well sit up." At the soft command he sat up and focused his attention on the grass before him. '_Don't look, keep your head down and don't look at her. DO NOT LOOK AT HER!_'

Kikyou could not understand the situation. Inuyasha sat alone in a clearing, the dried blood of wolf demon on his clothes and on the grass around him. The sun had set and the thin crescent moon shone its feeble light on his hair. She reached out with her hand but the hanyou skirted away and drew his knees up ever so slightly, as if unconsciously protecting his self. Half illuminated by the moon and half dipped in shadow, he appeared unbearably sad. Feeling she had denied ever since the 'incident' resurfaced, aching for him and begging for some way to provide comfort. All this remained internal, never reaching her eyes. Her voice remained calm. "Care to tell me why I find you in a clearing all alone?" 'There, that should answer my questions without revealing any concern I _am not_ feeling.' But Inuyasha said nothing, eyes hidden behind bangs.

'Don't, don't, don't look,' he chanted silently, but his youkai self having finally surfaced. '_What have you got to lose, weakling? You have to get over this or _I_ will take control._' The argument escalated between the selves that he did not notice Kikyou put her hand on his shoulder. When he realized it, he shrugged it off immediately and stood. The miko took unconscious tally of how tall he had gotten since the last encounter and watched as the hanyou turned to leave. Wait…leave?

"Inuyasha! Do not dare leave this clearing! I asked you a question and demand an answer," she said loudly and angrily, the concern growing. Youkai Inuyasha stiffened at the challenge in her tone and forced the body to turn and face the bitch. Their eyes locked and it was like an explosion of a star in his chest. Muscles contracted painfully as lungs screamed for air, but his throat was sealed shut. It was she! His mate, she stood just an arm's length away! She had come back to him! But upon inhaling to shout for joy his nose caught the scent of clay and he knew then. It was not she, just an imitation put to tease and torment his lonely soul. Human Inuyasha fell to his knees and wept, leaving Youkai Inuyasha to keep the mass upright. Kikyou saw all this, including the slump of his shoulders as he beheld her and then she knew as well. "So she left you," she said softly, but there was neither remorse nor joy. "My reincarnation has returned to her time. Does this mean that you are ready to go to Hell with me?" Inuyasha barely heard the words before snapping his head up and rushing toward the dead miko. Expecting blood-red eyes and fangs at her throat, she was surprised to see lifeless golden eyes and his lips dangerously close to hers. Moisture collected at the corners but did not fall. Then a whisper, harsh and soft, reached her ears.

"No Kikyou, I cannot just yet." The breath on her lips made a slight shiver run down her back, not to mention his hands on her shoulders. She pushed aside these feelings and faced the hanyou, her face demanding an explanation. "I have a journey to complete and will not sway from it. I will complete the Shikon no Tama. It's the only thing I can do to atone." The last sentence floored her and the question begged to be heard.

"Atone for what, Inuyasha?" The hanyou released her and fell into his customary crossed-legs position. Kikyou sat facing him and asked again. All she could hear was- "For chaining her to me." Anger flared at her reincarnation. What she had done must have been great to damage the proud Inuhanyou so, but what? "Tell me everything," she requested in her softest tone and he obeyed, emotion stripped away.

At the temple, Miroku changed the towel over the aging monk's forehead. After arriving he set to work solving what ailed his old friend. But it soon became clear that all the sake he enjoyed drinking finally caught up to him. There was no second chance this time. Mushin was going to die. Hatchi stood outside the door as guard, silent tears flowing from his eyes. Once the towel was changed, Miroku sat back and studied his master, who seemed to sleep serenely. 'He will not awake from _this_ nap,' he thought with a smile. The smile faltered and he just spoke.

"Well, old man, I warned you about drinking, but you never listened. Now look where it got you. But, I have to admit, you were easier to handle when you had a good amount of sake in you. Your timing, as usual, is perfectly horrendous, deciding to die right when I need you the most." He knew he had slipped and he also knew that were Mushin awake he would laugh until the mountains rang with amusement. But since he continued to sleep, Miroku decided to give a little confession, beginning with a sigh. "Everything's falling apart, sensei. Kagome is in her own time with no way of coming back. Inuyasha roams the forests and mountains with a broken heart. On top of that, Lady Sango does not seem to be taking the parting too well. So I tried to cheer her up, right? You know, doing what I usually do, but it just served to make her angrier. What she said… struck a chord somewhere. It hurt, but I knew it was the truth. My quest for an heir has served to just bring shame to my title. So, although I love her so much, I will have to respect her opinion and leave. I will resume my training and strive to attain true enlightenment. As for the Kazaana, I will bear it until it takes me into the void. My quest for vengeance ends here. If I can, I shall take an apprentice and he shall inherit my teachings, but the curse will not follow him. That is an encouraging thought, to have a son without passing down my curse." Miroku smiled again at the serene countenance of his master. "I feel much better. Thanks for listening ojiisan, it was a big help." In a final act of good-bye, Miroku leaned in and planted a kiss on the monk's forehead and left the room to his father's tomb. Sitting in the crater he set to meditation and prayer for the soul of his last family member so that it may attain the peace it deserved.

She could feel it, its blossom and evolution until it encompassed her spirit, an overwhelming sense of sadness. That stupid girl! She had destroyed him. And him! Still so weak that he would let a wench like _her_ even get that close. The sadness turned to jealousy, for she had never reached that level of intimacy with him, and now never would. Inuyasha just tuned his eyes to the night sky, dwelling on his tale and morbidly fascinated at his lack of tears. The agony was there, biting and scarring, but it produced nothing from his eyes. One might say he no longer cared, but of course this was not the case. Survival, one of the most powerful instincts, held back the onslaught. To cry connotes weakness, and weakness meant death. It was that simple. Kikyou, on the other hand, knew what she had to do. Inuyasha was lost to her. Besides, after hearing of the pain he would have to endure now, it made the eternal wrath and anguish of Hell seem easy. Finally, she decided to help him in the only way she knew how.

"Inuyasha, I want you to look at me." Slowly the hanyou turned to face her. Stepping back she said, "I release you of your vow. And to help in your quest," she took out her arrow and quickly stabbed her heart with it, shocking him. Pulling it out, the red tip glowed with a bright light. "I give you this arrow. It is endowed with my miko energy and will glow whenever a jewel shard is near." Inuyasha was speechless but in a rush of gratitude he embraced the priestess.

"Thank you Kikyou," he said, his voice breaking the name in two. Without warning she moved and pressed her lips against his. The power that coursed through his lips to hers was electrifying and right then she could no longer deny it. As for the hanyou, he let it happened. After all, she deserved it for listening and giving him such a useful tool.

"I love you, Inuyasha, I think I always did. But my duty to the Shikon Jewel kept me from even admitting it. I just want you to know that." At her words a ray from above suddenly appeared, shining on her. The souls within her began dispersing. The miko just smiled, ready to return to Hell. However, instead of the blistering flames, she felt a wave of peace fill her. "What's happening," she murmured as her body began lifting from the ground. Inuyasha smiled.

"It seems, my dear Kikyou, that you have proven yourself worthy of Heaven. Since this time around there is no anger or need for revenge, you are unfit for Hell. Congratulations, may your be happy now." Tears filled her eyes as the sky split to reveal a glow of pure white pillars. Joy was the last emotion to grip her body before it disintegrated. The few bones that lingered Inuyasha took and buried under a tree, scratching on the stone an epitaph.

**Here lies the priestess Kikyou  
****Who lived twice and found penance  
****Amari o Kyuui**

Five hundred years later, Kagome Higurashi sat at her table furiously doing her homework for the next day when a sudden surge of bliss overtook her, causing her to drop her pencil and clutch her chest. All the logarithms and dates left her mind and she was met with a clear vision of a white-haired god in red with dog-ears. 'What does it mean,' she thought even as the sob clawed at her throat. She had managed to put him out of her mind by diving into school, but that one glimpse of her love dashed her efforts aside like so much dust in an angry breeze. But with the sight of Inuyasha followed that of Kikyou, the clay pot bitch. Her face was the one filled with joy, but why? Many theories sprouted, but only one took hold, and of course it was the worse. 'She's smiling because of Inuyasha. He probably decided to, to…' but the thought would not continue, it refused to manifest and cause her pain. He would not do that, would he? She received her answer in the form of another vision. It was a large tree flushed with cherry blossoms and at the base a stone with ancient kanji on it. Inuyasha's writing. It was hers; this grave belonged to Kikyou. The idea brought some comfort, although she refused to admit such a horrible emotion that hardly fitted the situation. 'Inuyasha…' The tears came again and she had to thrust herself on her bed to wait it out. The guilt flared strong as that night, but with it came the hopelessness of being unable to quell it. Misery seeks more desolation, a philosopher once said, but she had never believed it. Why would someone in pain seek to enhance it? But now every time she remembered the loss she went to the well. Sitting at the edge she would run her hand along the lines of his final message, letting the grief consume her soul. It was an exquisite agony that she had become addicted to, for it never so much as when she was in the well house. Sometimes she fainted, other times she just sat silently recalling all the experiences in the Sengoku Jidai. Every time she would attempt to return to the place that felt more like home than this. But each time she leapt into the oblivion she would land on hard dirt and end up bruising her knees. Every day her friends and teachers would comment on the purple contusions that shone against her skin that had become white from lack of sun. She would not answer, letting them to come to their own conclusions. She no longer cared what they thought. Turn in homework, get the A, and move on. College was coming up soon and she had to be ready. Who cares if she couldn't think of a major? She could always decide when she got there. Have to keep going. 'I can't go back to what I want. All I can do is focus on the road ahead, but my heart will always be in the past.' Her love for him had not faded in the slightest, to assume so would be the gravest sin anyone could ever commit. She would never stop, no matter what came her way she will love Inuyasha until her dying day. The tears ended and she returned to her desk. English homework called to her, with physics and anatomy sounding their own call. 'Dive in and forget, Kagome, let the words purge your mind of everything.'

Sango felt badly for what she had said, really she did. It was not her place to criticize Miroku, no matter how much his actions infuriated her. He needed an heir to carry on his quest, so it was perfectly reasonable he ask every pretty girl he met to bear his child. Of course, he did not have to in front of her. And it wasn't as if he was necessarily bad. He never forced himself on any woman, preferring to caress their rears when they let their guard down and he treated every woman with respect, even those that declined his request. Not to mention all the times he had been there for her when she needed a friend. He was a good guy, she had to admit, but that changed nothing. She would apologize and then have him follow behind her and Kirara for a while. So she made her way back to the village a day after her tirade only to find the monk was nowhere to be found. She inquired at the inn, and one of the merchants told her he had gone west with some kind of raccoon demon who seemed upset about something. She knew the description was that of Hatchi, but why would he seek out Miroku? Did something happen with Mushin? Worried, she and Kirara raced for the temple.

The sun was rising when Miroku entered the hut. Although there was no visible change, the aura that surrounded his old master was gone. Mushin was dead. The young monk smiled with sad joy at his sensei's ascension. Removing his haori and under shirt, he grabbed a shovel and dug an indent right at the edge of his father's crater. Once it was done he wrapped Mushin in the blanket he died in and placed him in the grave. He refilled the hole and smoothed out the mound. All that was left was an item of personal value to the deceased and the rites of ascension. He stood and entered the temple.

Sango and Kirara landed in a clearing close to the temple and walked the rest of the way. She did not know why she did this, but it seemed like the right thing to do. She didn't want to frighten the old man. The temple came into view just as Miroku stepped out. He wasn't wearing a shirt! Sango blushed as her eyes unintentionally studied and admired every curve of his chest. In his left hand was a bottle of sake and she noticed he was sweaty. Assumptions jumped into her mind. 'That bastard! How dare he defile a sacred place with that type of shit! Oh, he is so going to get it. It's time to collect some manhood gems!' Anger sprang to hide the hurt tearing into her. Although she would never have thought him capable, it was clear that damn monk had finally found someone to fulfill his dream. 'Stupid wench probably gave it up that same night too. Figures he would get a damn slut to bear him a child.' He disappeared into the house before resurfacing fully clothed and stepping out of the doorway, made for the side of the temple, the taijiya's eyes following his every move. Then he committed another unforgivable act. He opened the bottle and let the alcohol fall on a grave! And now he was praying. This was the last straw! She stomped out of her hiding place.

"You, you, you vile depraved lecher! How dare you! How can you do that?" Miroku recognized the voice immediately and a smile pushed its way to his face. He had hoped to prolong this talk, but it seemed Fate had other plans. Finishing the prayers he stood and faced the firing squad. The slap he was ready for, and so were the angry words she blasted at him, so he just waited. The usual names of lecher and bastard popped in his mind until she finally started to wind down. "Disgusting, bringing a slut onto holy land. I don't take back anything I said!" Panting and out of insults, she glared at his stoic face. It was his turn now.

"You're absolutely right Lady Sango. I am a horrible monk. I let my need for revenge cloud the wisdom of my Buddhist learning. So now I have come to a decision." The taijiya, floored by his words, could only listen silently as he continued. "I must abandon my hunt for Naraku and focus on achieving Nirvana, true enlightenment. I bid you my fondest farewell. I shall never forget you Sango." He bowed to her and walked away. She was speechless. What in Izanagi's name was he thinking? He didn't honestly believe her did he? Her eyes fell on the grave and the stone marker. On it was etched a short epitaph: _Resting place of Mushin, a great monk who fulfilled his aspiration. Sleep forever in bliss._ The pieces fitted together and her mistake revealed itself. She spun around and shuddered with fear at the distance he had managed to cover since her epiphany. He couldn't leave, because that meant loneliness and pain. Who would save her from the nightmares or memories? Who would hold her as she cried, soothing with words and enticing her with visions of a perfect world where she and Kohaku were happy and together. Slowly but surely, Miroku had begun to appear in those images, right at her side as her brother tried and failed to plow a straight line. Now that idea could no longer be, her shield was gone. The scream of despair clamored to be heard, but she replaced it with something deeper, an abyss of light praying with one word.

"Miroku!"

The utterance made him pause. It had not been loud, nor was it a plea. That one word was the call of her soul for happiness. Desperation laced it with need and sorrow. He could not resist such a powerful summon and he ran back to her and embraced her. The sudden physical contact made her finally break down. She clung to him and buried her face in his robes.

"No, no, no, please no," were all he could hear from the face in his robes and moisture on his chest announced her tears. Miroku pulled her away and held her at arm's length. Her bowed head shook from side to side and she continued to mutter in a soft voice. Resistance was futile as he lifted her chin and molded his lips against her. The illusion flared for one second before withering under the glorious sheen of reality. The world had ended and only they remained. Sango gave a low moan at the intense heat that seared her skin and left her numb in his arms. Recovering quickly from the ecstasy, she reciprocated the kiss with her own zeal. The kiss really had been long overdue.

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Grrrr, I don't really like how this chapter came out... but I couldn't think of anything make it better. Don't worry, the next chapter will be better. Ja ne. 


	6. Chapter Five

**Disclaimer**: Ownership of any and all things affiliated with Inuyasha and party reside solely with…uh, um… damn it, I forgot her name! Oh well, its not me so it doesn't matter!

**A/N**: Welcome to the next chapter, massively overdue. The story is moving right along steadily and I think its time to inform that the ending is really close, maybe even in the next two chapters! Anyway, the lights on, popcorn on my left, coke on my right, and Esumym on my shoulder, lets get it on!

**Tears**

Myouga was in trouble, it was apparent in the eyes of his master. And his question, so quiet and unexpected that it seemed like the wind had spoken, sounded to him like the resonance of doom.

"Myouga, can you tell me about my mother?" So innocent and yet the capacity of causing pain was staggering. So instead of answering, he asked his own question.

"What do you wish to know, Inuyasha-sama?"

"Well, every time I remember her face, it was always filled with tears. For years after her death I thought it was from sorrow, but now I'm not so sure. Can you tell me why?" The nomiyoukai weighed his options. He could stay quiet and receive his lumps, or he could divulge the past to his master. A sharp throb on his head, more memory than physical, persuaded him.

"Very well, my lord, I shall tell you. As you know, your mother, Iyazoi, was a noblewoman of high estate in the village you were born in. Her father was lord of those lands and answered only to the Great Inutaishou, your father. During many meetings to discuss the problems of the lands, your parents met. Shortly after your birth Iyazoi's father died of sickness, to which your father followed afterwards in the fight with Ryuukotsuei. Left with no protection, she and you were quickly and quietly banished by the new lord to the house on the hill you grew up in. Your mother was gifted with the Sight, the ability to see into the future. Born with the capability, it only increased its power after giving birth to you. She went from seeing seconds into the future to years, even decades. I would often discuss with her about the visions. She would see the impending death of the lord of the village or whether the harvest for next year would be good or not, but she never told me of you or herself. I knew that she Saw horrible things as well, for there had been many a time when she would simply burst into tears after looking on you. She _knew_, my lord, of all that you would have to endure. They were the reason for her tears."

Inuyasha took this revelation silently as he thought back to his fuzzy childhood. 'So that's why you cried Mom… you knew my pain and it broke your heart. The fire was foreseen, but you stayed anyway because it was destiny, just like my solitude. All of this pain happened as a result of fate.' Shrugging his shoulders as he stared into the fire built for the resting place, he spoke.

"Oh, well that explains a lot." Myouga saw past the gruff indifference and could read the suffering underneath. A twinge of guilt made him stop and there was silence for a while. Then Inuyasha astonished the flea demon again. "Do you think I could learn to See?" Come on; keep him talking while you try to find some way to sort out this madness.

"I'm not sure, Inuyasha-sama. To become a Seer one must have complete inner peace and have complete control of your emotions." The hanyou groaned loudly.

"There's always a catch!"

"I'm afraid so, master. You have within you two separate personalities that are constantly at war with each other. Unless your youkai instincts and human emotions find a way to coexist, you will never gain the Sight."

"No problem, I can contain my instincts! Come on then, let's get started," he said, the old flame of determination slowly returning to life in his eyes. So with hope renewed the wizened demon taught his young master everything he knew about the Seers. The next day the journey began anew with Kikyou's arrow leading the way.

Kanna stood at the window of her room, her demonic mirror shining with souls. Her eyes stared out into the horizon permeated with the miasma of Naraku. She had not seen the sun since returning from the retrieval of a jewel shard and had already forgot what it looked like. There was nothing to do. All she could do now was wait until Naraku summoned her and gaze at nothingness. So for hours she did not move from her spot, breathing but lifeless doll that barely blinked and never felt. Yes, she had heard of feelings from her sister Kagura, though she did not understand. Apparently, _anger_ occurred when the half-demon Inuyasha almost killed her and made her run away in _shame_, another emotion. Also, the emotion that made Naraku shut himself up in his cellar was _grief_. And _annoyance_ was when Kanna's questions became too bothersome for her older sister to answer. So many different kinds, the white demon could not comprehend why anyone would want such things. Still, during those times when she stood at her window, a thought, an image, an idea of what it would be like to feel slithered into her mind. Would she smile when _happy_ or frown when _cross_? Maybe _laugh_ at a joke or _sigh_ with exhaustion? Yet the one component and end result of emotion that fascinated her the most were tears. Why should someone have to cry? When does the sensation become so strong that the only remedy was to release it in liquid form? To feel…

Elsewhere in the castle Naraku sat in the shadows of his room, mind swimming with turmoil. The news of Kikyou's death brought him pleasure, no doubt about that, but then that wearisome Onigumo just _had_ to get his word in and now he was torn between pure joy and crushing sorrow. 'Something has to be done about this damn human feeling. I have no use for it.' The pulse of the large black Shikon jewel shard enticed his focus away from the re-dead miko to his original plan. 'Just a handful of shards left, the latest which Kagura has graciously gone to retrieve from the faithful monks of the monastery on Mt. Hiei. Then I can focus on that fool Kouga. I'll leave Inuyasha for last.' The snicker that rang in the darkness of the room made the skeletons in the hallway tremble with fear. The time for the final course drew near.

"Concentrate, Inuyasha-sama, concentrate," Myouga repeated for the fifteenth time. His master stood in hakama and white gi. Cloth plugged his nose and ears and a strip sealed his eyes, leaving him feeling hatefully vulnerable.

"Damn it all, I'm trying! You screaming it every ten seconds isn't helping at all," he said irritably as a blow landed on his shoulder. The hanyou tried to swing but only caught air. Another blow, this time on his back, made him spin around but still he missed. Gods, it was like he was in the middle of a new moon night. He hated mortality so much for this very reason. As he continued to internally curse, he no longer felt the slaps of the yamazaru demon, focusing instead on how many complex and colorful curse combinations he could think of. Myouga decided that was it for today, and asked the monkey to leave. Facing his fuming master, he gave his next set of instructions.

"Very good Inuyasha-sama, that ends our training for now. Now it's time for you to practice meditation. Remember that without inner peace you will not receive any visions." The hanyou grumbled as he sat cross-legged and placed his hands on his knees. Some deep breaths later he entered his trance world where Youkai Inuyasha stood, the purple stripes and red eyes shining in the hazy mist. He laughed.

'Wow, it really sucks to be you right now. You must look like a total idiot.'

'Oh no, don't think you're not in this too,' Human Inuyasha retaliated, determined to win the battle this time. 'That's _your_ body getting pushed around too. I don't see you doing anything about it.'

'Keh, I don't need to concern myself over that crap that old bloodsucker calls training. _I_ don't want the Sight, _you_ do.'

'You idiot! Think about it baka, if you could see what your opponent was about to do before he does it, then wouldn't you be able to kill him quicker? I don't know about you, but _that_ might just come in handy against Naraku.'

'You mean we're still going to fight that coward?'

"Of course baka! Have you forgotten that he carries most of the shards with him?'

'What about the monk and slayer?'

'You mean Sango and Miroku? They're only hunting for Naraku, and they can have him for all I care, but if they reach him before we do, we might have to deal with them again.' The idea of having to see their faces after having left them high and dry was not something Human Inuyasha felt ready to deal with. However, Youkai Inuyasha could not deny that the mortal had a point, both with this tedious training and the unpleasant meeting.

'Very well, weakling, I'll cooperate, but only as long as _I_ want to. Not a moment sooner!'

'Good enough, maybe now we can finally get past this stupid exercise.' Silence deepened in the void as the two stared at each other. Both knew what the other wanted to say, but neither knew how to approach it. A churning wind manifested itself, whipping their silver manes into frenzies. Then the word left both their lips as one.

'Kagome.' A bright light burst in the center, shining in the shape of a young woman. It faded to reveal white and green garments, the 'uniform' she always wore. Her black hair blended into the dark of the void and that same soft smile he remembered so clearly graced her face. He could almost reach out and touch her, her cheeks, her hair, her lips. He could smell her for the Gods' sake! So real to him… but she wasn't. It was just an illusion born of memory, a lie meant only to soothe and keep company. No matter how passionate the kiss he gave, it meant nothing. It hurt all over again, but it was a dull throb now. After all, it had been nine months already since it had all happened. What could he do now but keep going with his promise? He would complete the Shikon No Tama.

Four more shards were found thanks to Kikyou's arrow and he now sported an impressive twelve shards. The arrow served to purify the shards as well, making it easier to handle such power. Still, it completely invalidated the need for a miko, so memories were becoming scarce. He was _not_ forgetting her, just that the memories he had no longer comforted him. Hours later, with the full moon as testament of his dedication, Inuyasha moved from his position on the grass and searched for something to eat.

From the sky Kagura watched. Bored with the monotony of spending four months straight in the castle, not to mention Naraku's recent change in behavior and routine, she decided to fly around a bit. Who could've guessed she would find Inuyasha out in the open minus his ragtag band of twits. She did not know what he was doing all alone, but it was the perfect chance to take his shards, which she could clearly see from her high altitude. Surely Naraku did not want him to gather too many. Still, the mutt possessed many shards, so what harm would it bring if one or two went missing? A smile twisted her otherwise beautiful face. 'At least he'll provide some entertainment,' she thought, extending her fans and attacking.

Inuyasha was about to enter the forest when she felt a spark of… _something_ thrill him. He turned around and saw the crescent blades dangerously close to him and leapt out of the way. Bringing Tetsusaiga to bear he faced the sky.

"Is that you Kagura? Oh, this is going to feel _so_ good,' he taunted to the night. The silhouette of his target shone against the hoary hue of the moon. Six more crescents shot at him. 'Maybe now would be a good time to try out the exercise,' he thought as he closed his eyes and focused. All that moved were his ears as the blades came ever closer. Suddenly he raised his sword and slashed. "Kaze no Kizu!" The blasts from his Wind Scar dissipated the other energy and continued toward Kagura. The sorceress, caught off guard, scrambled off her feather and plummeted to the ground. The hanyou wasted no time, dashing forward to finish the job as the wind spun around Tetsusaiga.

"Nice try mutt! Dance of Blades," she said as she twisted in mid-air and fired crescents point-blank range. Inuyasha was knocked back, his haori tearing but not flesh. Now a good distance away the fighters stared each other down.

"So what brings you around here, eh Kagura? Running errands for Naraku like a good little slave?"

"No need for such friendly banter, Inubaka, just hand over the shards and I might let you live. After all, lots of demons live long healthy lives with just one arm and leg, right?" Inuyasha growled and tightened his grip.

"Just try and take them from me," he said in a low guttural tone. Kagura smiled at his seriousness. The poor fool truly believed he stood a chance against her.

"Very well, if you wish for death, then I'll give it to you! Dance of Blades!" The two clashed whilst Myouga watched from a safe distance. Someone had to survive to tell the tale, right? As for Kagura, she had to admit she was impressed with the fool's prowess. He was much faster now than before, but evading that fang of his still proved too easy. As for the hanyou, he merely swung, sometimes with two hands and other times with one. Any passerby brave enough to watch would think they were training together. But all things came to an end, and it was Inuyasha who got the first slash in, slicing a gash into Kagura's dress. That was all he needed as he hopped in and attacked with all the speed he could muster. Now Kagura felt a little concerned. More tears on her yukata forced her into defense lest she show more than she wanted. "Well, well, well, it looks like the dog has learned a few new tricks. It matters not, your turn will come, and you'll see how pointless it is to fight." Following her cryptic warning she plucked a feather from her hair and flew away.

"Spineless bitch! Stay and fight," he shouted to her, but she disappeared into the night sky. Huffing, partly from exhaustion and frustration, he sheathed and returned to his hunt. Lucky for him, a boar decided then to step into his path. Ten minutes later the hanyou sat in front of a fire roasting dinner.

"Very nicely done, Inuyasha-sama," a voice said out of nowhere.

"Nice of you to come out of hiding now, flea. Don't expect any food from me tonight."

"Bu-bu-but Master! I was by your side the entire time, cheering you on!"

"Spare me." And so Myouga the flea, faithful servant of his master, retainer of memory and last defense against insanity, went hungry that night. That is, until his master fell to sleep and he sneaked himself a bite or two. The next day the hunt for shards continued.

The sun rose, greeting the day with eternal optimism. Its ray shone on a valley where four beings, three demons and one human, rested. The valley floor consisted of flowers on every patch of green. The blooming buds engulfed her, spanning as far as the eye could see. Delight possessed her body as Rin ran in circles with hands out, catching any flowers that she could. Using them to form a crown she put on her head and hummed happily. Sesshoumaru watched from a close distance, silent white sentinel, whilst Ah and Un and Jaken napped on a bed of blooms. Mentally he remembered the times spent with his hahaue doing just that, running among the buds without a care in the world. In that time so many centuries ago he knew neither worry nor responsibility. All that existed in the world was Father and Mother. Such a simple, idealistic time it had been. Then that world came to an earth-shattering end with the appearance of a human wench. Gods, why hadn't he seen it coming? Of course she was his concubine. That goddamn Iyazoi, she was just a rich whore with a leaning for demon. That's all it should have been, but then Father announced the birth of his brother and he _knew_, knew that it was an abomination, even before Mother told him so. When he first met the sniveling weakling, with its furless ears and brittle claws, the urge to kill it was overwhelming. He instantly swore undying hatred towards it and the bitch that held it. She had ruined everything! Not long after that Father went off to fight Ryuukotsueii and died. The grief was almost unbearable, but then his mother, in her final moments, for Inuyoukai cannot live with their mates dead, she revealed that the dragon had been seen not far from that whore's village. His father, the great Inutaishou, had died protecting his whore and half-breed son. On her dying gasp he swore to kill the disgrace without fail. Eighty-six years passed. Now the great Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands, revered and feared by all who resided in his lands, kept watch of a young human girl. Strangest of all, he found himself at ease with the situation. That Rin had managed somehow to pierce something within, but what it was he did not know.

She turned to look over at him. Not a day went by that she did not smile at him. He was her savior, her deliverer from the evils of her past life. Yes, that time in the village had been another life, dead and gone. Now she traveled with her Sesshoumaru. The look on his face, that mask of regal indifference, never fooled her once. Every mask needs holes for the eyes, and eyes were windows to the soul. For all his mean words, never once did he try to hurt her. She in turn gave every ounce of affection within her being to him. Standing there among the flora of multicolored glory, he looked like a pure white angel, her guardian. He signaled softly at her that it was time to go and she hurriedly made another crown and gave it to him gingerly. He stared coldly for a moment before grabbing it and slowly placing it on his head. The joy in her smile dazzled even him. Unfortunately, she had miscalculated the size of his head and made the crown too big. So when it slipped down until it hung on her nose she couldn't help but laugh at his annoyance. The great lord whipped around and started walking, his foot landing on Jaken, effectively waking the toad. Rin just giggled, knowing she had seen the flicker of a smile on his face.

"Zutto ishoni ittai," she said silently, feeling the age-old emotion in her heart created by him, for him. Sesshoumaru played the fool this time, but he knew that deep down, _way_ down, he felt the same.

* * *

All right, time to go. Hope you enjoyed it. Ja ne! 


	7. Chapter Six

**Disclaimer**: Iput a petition to place Inuyasha under my name as sole owner and master of said character's fate, but once again that damn penguin refused to notorize it! I swear one day I'm gonna find some dirt on him...

**A/N**: (Searches fearfully from his hiding spot. Approaches the podium slowly) Umm... hi everyone. I'm back now with another chapter, obviously. Anyway, I won't bore you with excuses of why I didn't update sooner. Call it a lapse of priorities and leave it at that. Here's the next installment courtesy of me and my Five Muses. Enjoy

**Lives**

"Alright class, welcome to your first lecture in Lit. 101," the professor said to the auditorium-sized class. A man of graceful stature and enough beauty that it dripped from each perfect blonde lock of hair, Tetsujin-sama held the college freshmen before him in awed respect and total silence. He was considered by many of the student population and faculty to be the most experienced and wisest person to walk the halls of Tokyo University, not to mention the handsomest. The list of countries he had visited and cultures he had tasted seemed endless, but there was one freshman that was not impressed in the least. Kagome Higurashi leaned against her seat and sighed at the adoring looks of her gender, no doubt visualizing the various states of undress they could reach with him before fainting with the pleasure. Were it not for his excellent reviews from the other professors, she never would have even entered his class.

As her mind wandered across the room, its silver wings beating gracefully and a trail of amber dust following behind, the memory of graduation returned to her. It had been a happy moment standing on the stage in her robe, clutching her diploma with pride. Her mother's camera flashed at superhuman speed whilst Souta tried his very best to deafen all the people around him. She waved at them with a huge smile before leaving the stage to rejoin her friends. Ayumi smiled dreamily at her, Eri patted her back affectionately, and Yuka congratulated her on being healthy enough to finish school. The funniest moment by far however, was when Houjou stepped up to offer his own congratulations. He stuttered horribly and sweat settled on his forehead, but he managed to get his message across. Kagome beamed at him and returned his praise, leaving him blushing furiously and thinking back on their kiss at the dance as she walked out of the auditorium of her high school for the last time. The party afterwards to celebrate the momentous accomplishment of surviving high school reached legendary portions as the newly freed senior class threw inhibition to the wind, along with most of their clothes. Kagome was designated driver, by choice of course, leaving her friends to cut loose. The images of that party made her face burn with embarrassment even now, almost two months later. At the end, when it was finally time to pick up the remaining shards of dignity before the final good-bye, the young miko suddenly found herself feeling extremely lonely and wet in the eyes. It wasn't the song that softly played in the host's house, or the loving kisses of the couples trying to lengthen the magic as much as possible, or even the fact that she might never see any of her friends again, since they had all been accepted to different colleges- Yuka was going to Nihon U, Ayumi to Akutegawa, and Eri to Oxford. A feeling of wrongness had descended on the scene, twisting her insides and bringing to mind images of a silver, red, and amber figure hopping from tree to tree, primordial and free. She struggled to remember, until her forehead hurt with the exertion, but it was all a blur. At the same time however, she felt as if that figure was vitally important to her and it should be with her right now, at her side. The emptiness she felt compelled her to peel her friends from the floor, couch, and horny graduate and escort them home, much to their own half-hearted and drunken protest. Once her duty as bus driver and emergency nurse was fulfilled she made her way up the steps to the shrine, hoping to find solace under the Goshinboku. Yet it seemed like not even the great tree with its strange indentations and calming presence could alter her rapidly descending mood. Her family had long since gone to sleep and as she walked to her room the depression crept on her from the shadows, as if they were demanding she remember something, but what she did not know. Once within the boundaries of her space the eighteen-year-old took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. 'It's just the graduation blues,' she thought. 'I'm just sad everyone's leaving, that's all.' Reassured in her logical explanation for the rising despair, she changed into her pajamas and fell into a restless sleep filled with the smell of sawdust and hazy trees. Mad sights and fierce emotion gripped and tossed her like the pole that stands against the storm, only to be swept away like so much trash.

Just a few weeks afterwards, with the small void in her heart that seemed to throb painfully every second she was in her house, Kagome decided it was high time to find a place near Tokyo U to live, a job notwithstanding. She searched for only four days and managed to find the perfect apartment that overlooked a forest and the sunset, and was only two blocks away from the school. The job, however, had not been as easy. It took the remainder of her vacation time scouring all the business of Tokyo before she finally snagged the cashier position of a 'mom-and-pop' store called "Everyday Wonders", which sold exclusively spiritual items and trinkets. The owners were generous and the miko felt at home surrounded by all the religious items, having been raised in a shrine. All in all, she felt pretty much established on the first day of class, ready to work hard on her major in Medicine and her ultimate dream of being a doctor. Still, from time to time, especially during that obscure, surreal state between the waking world and the land of sleep she found her mind filled with passing glimpses of the same white, red, and amber figure. The pain would hit her suddenly, violently, angrily until she was a quivering mass of tears for a split second before the Sandman made it all slip away.

"Since this is my class and you are all paying me to teach you, I've decided to start with one of my personal favorites," Tetsujin said, his voice cutting easily through the strange memories. "It's staged in the turmoil of the Sengoku Jidai, a time of constant war and death. In this chaotic period arose the great author and historian known only as Jiji. His most famous work and easily his most influential is an ostentatious novel written in journal form- 'The Life of My Lord.' The Lord, one Yash Inu, is the main protagonist. He is on a journey of vengeance against the evil demon Ukaran who killed his love. Along the way he meets new friends with the same mission and together they set forth to destroy the collective malevolence. Sounds pretty straightforward, doesn't it? The classic boy goes on quest, meets girl, and destroys the evil spoiling the land." A twinkle entered his eye and for a second Kagome felt the same jumbled and foreign memories replay. "Well, let's see if that's how it ends. Now, if you'll look under your desks you should find a crisp new copy of the story that is yours to keep. Open to page one and let's begin."

Tracking him, they were following him like a hunter follows his prey in hopes of dinner. He was prey and he didn't like it one bit. At the same time, he had to admit he didn't exactly try to avoid them. It was only until recently he had been slacking in his stealth, but he didn't think he was leaving _that_ much of a trail, was he? He didn't even know how long they had been following, since the wind seemed to favor them. He simply knew that that damn monk and taijiya were behind him. Truthfully, as the sacred arrow pulled him toward a new shard, Inuyasha couldn't summon the courage to drive them off. In order to do that he would have to face them, and he just wasn't ready.

Far back, out of the hanyou's earshot rode Sango on Kirara, watching the sky and searching for shapes in the clouds. Miroku walked beside them, eyes trained forward in the maze of trees that loomed closer and closer. Occasionally their eyes would wander and meet, but the outcome was always the same. The taijiya would blush a bright pink and the monk would smile in contentment. In that moment the memory of that night resurfaced, as vivid as it had been all those months ago. After the reunion at the monastery, the two decided to spend the night for there was much to talk about. Plans of the future were discussed, restrictions (much to Miroku's dismay), and somewhere along the way the monk and taijiya and monk found themselves in each other's arms, Sango's cheek resting on Miroku's chest. His heartbeat roared in her ears whilst his arms around her gently caressing were slowly and surely driving her mad. A strange heat pooled in her lower abdomen at his touch until breathing no longer seemed so easy. Her restraint faded away as she brought her lips to kiss his neck and chin. The action startled Miroku but he caught himself in time to bring his eyes to her. She was flushing deeply and her eyes were closed. Their talk replayed in his mind, especially the part about restrictions. _This_ was definitely not supposed to happen. In an effort to rouse her from herself the monk softly grabbed her chin and turned her away from what she had not stopped kissing. Her eyes were clouded and pleading as she locked eyes with him.

"Are you sure," he asked, his breath its own caress on her lips, but the words pierced through the fog. The yearning she felt boiling her blood, muttering suggestions for that wonderful body of his, cooled as Reason took hold once more. She sat up and smiled weakly.

"Gomen, Houshi-sama," she said, the flush of desire replaced by a blush of embarrassment. It deepened as he brought his lips down on for a fierce kiss, full of passion and repressed need. When he released her she felt the heat again, stronger than before and she fisted her hands on his robes to contain her impulses.

"My name, koishii, is Miroku. If you insist on using my title, I may have to resort to extreme measures in order to break that habit," he said, his eyes full of mischief and fervor. Since that day he had indeed followed through on his promise, until it became a subconscious game the lovers played. She would let the title slip while requesting something and he would immediately begin his punishment, although torture was more appropriate. She swore his hands were demonic in nature, and those beads! Those deft little explorers roamed around her surface, torches plowing a trail of heat behind them. Sweet madness beckoned her, forming an impassable wall of fog and haze, allowing only his eyes to shine through. Even as his hands brushed where none had ever touched she couldn't pull away from his embrace. He was so considerate too, rushing her up the peak of her desire and thrusting her limp trembling body into the air until cries of contentment dribbled from her lips, yet he never once penetrated her or took her maidenhead. Guilt would wash over her from time to time at how much he sacrificed, rendering her such pleasure and never asking for any in return. But no matter how she tried to return his affection, he resisted. "I won't allow you to soil your purity before marriage. I'm a lost cause on that issue, but as long as I can make you happy, then that is all I need." A smile filled her heart as she returned to cloud gazing. 'That's why I love him,' she thought blissfully. It did not last long, however, when she remembered whom they were following. It had been Miroku's idea to track down Inuyasha, arguing that since his search for Shikon shards would eventually lead him to Naraku, why not just stick with him and save the trouble of running around chasing dead-end hunches? It made sense, but the taijiya was sure the hanyou would not be too happy if he found out the people he had deserted were following him. Deserted? Was that the right word? It felt right, especially when the mind is clouded by anger and betrayal, but there was much more to the parting than she had initially thought. Sango could not presume to know what the poor guy was feeling, but she did know that it had been terrible to force Inuyasha into solitude again after spending most of his life alone. So, out of both expediency and concern for her friend, she had agreed to the plan. All they had to worry about was make sure they remained hidden, a simple enough process as long as they kept against the wind and out of his canine earshot. Her eyes wandered again and met with his. The fire in them set her pit aflame and she could not wait until nightfall.

"Houshi-sama, may I ask why you're always looking at me," she asked coolly, feeling her mask falter at the sudden rise in temperature as he walked up to her side. In one deft motion he was atop Kirara and running his lips along her neck. She twisted to catch them and suppress her moan of delight. Kirara paid them no attention, her attention tuned to following the hanyou, but even she could not ignore the loud cry that issued from her mistress' lips not soon afterward. The fire youkai sighed inwardly and mentally reminding to bathe when they stopped for the night.

"Well, let's keep the music right along," the male voice said cheerfully from the radio in Kagome's living room. She didn't really listen, more focused on the newest assignment from that devil Tetsujin. Sure he was highly recommended, but no one had informed her of the ridiculous amount of work he gave, and she still had three other projects to work on, not to mention jotting down some notes on her thesis! Still, the book he had them reading was good, and it effectively snared her, whisking the freshman into the past as she traveled with the Lord and his ragtag group of friends. Feeling rebellious, Kagome decided to skive off the work for now and listen to the radio, maybe even read a few new journal entries of the great Jiji. "Here's a new track straight from America," the disc jockey said, oblivious to her infraction. "I find it funny, but I'll let you decide for yourself if it's worth a second playing. This song is from Akon and is called 'Mr. Lonely'."

_Lonely  
__I'm so lonely,  
I have nobody,  
To call my own  
I'm so lonely, I'm Mr. Lonely  
I have nobody,  
To call my own  
I'm so lonely._

The disc jockey was right, the voice was really high-pitched and funny, but she decided to stick it out instead of changing the station. The rest of the lyrics flowed on, denoting a distraught man suffering from a broken heart. The story wove itself around her, swelling and cresting in her soul before returning to that same high-pitched voice, only it wasn't so funny any more.

_I'm so lonely (so lonely),  
I'm Mr. Lonely (Mr. Lonely)  
I have nobody (I have nobody)  
To call my own (to call my own) girl_

_I'm so lonely (so lonely)  
I'm Mr. Lonely (Mr. Lonely)  
I have nobody (I have nobody)  
To call my own (to call my own) girl_

The tears feel unbidden over Jiji's pages as the young woman found herself singing along to the chorus, that same nameless guilt and pain tearing and lacerating her fragile psyche. Why? Why did she feel this need to cry, to howl her anguish to the skies? Who is that silver-haired man that smiled so lovingly at her through the fog, and why does it hurt so bad?

_I'm so lonely (so lonely)  
I'm Mr. Lonely (Mr. Lonely)  
I have nobody (I have nobody)  
To call my own (to call my own)_

_I'm so lonely (so lonely)  
I'm Mr. Lonely (Mr. Lonely)  
I have nobody (I have nobody)  
To call my own (to call my own) girl_

_Lonely, so lonely  
So lonely, (so lonely),  
Mr. Lonely, so lonely  
So lonely, so lonely, (so lonely), Mr. Lonely_

'Where the hell could that damn coward be,' Inuyasha thought but continued walking in the direction the sacred arrow pointed. The endless trees that had obscured his vision on all sides like a criminal among the bars of his prison block suddenly parted and the hanyou had to blink against the sudden light of the sun. Once all was adjusted he beheld his surroundings. He stood on a grassy knoll of impressive height overlooking an equally impressive city. The rice fields themselves seemed like natural lakes with sturdy multiple-roomed huts bordering it on one side and a flat grassy plain on all other sides. Even from his view he could not count all the houses, but the lord's home was clear, since it was the largest property in the village. Much to his dismay, the arrow was pointing right at it. This presented a problem. A village of this size would no doubt have a large force protecting it, loyal peasants with pitchforks notwithstanding. They wouldn't stand a chance against him, but he could not afford the hindrance nor did he want to risk killing any of them in a rage, so stealth would have to be employed. Returning into the shadows of the forest Inuyasha planned and waited for the sun to set. Once the final ray of light disappeared he knew exactly what to do.

The moon witnessed it all silently as the hanyou thrust the sacred arrow toward the city after all the villagers went to sleep. Guided by the jewel shards it sensed, the arrow punched silently through the roof into the daimyo's room. Hunching until his knees nearly touched the ground, Inuyasha leapt high into the air, landing in the village square, a grassy extravagant affair filled with bright flowers and bulbous blossoms. He wasted no time in destroying the oak gate barring his path and disappeared into the mansion. Response for the door came swiftly, with guards materializing seemingly out of the walls. The hanyou dealt with them easily, making sure not to use his claws. Five minutes later saw him running along the same rice paddies he had admired during the day, three newly purified shards in his grasp. The guards and villagers gave chase, but he soon left them in the dust. Fate- three, Inuyasha- three. From above, shadowed by the clouds of the night sky sat Kagura on her feather. 'He's doing very well for a hanyou,' she thought as she willed the enchanted object toward the mountains. 'Maybe he'll bring about my freedom.'

When Sango and Miroku arrived in the city of Sansui they find the inhabitants in the final stages of what had been all-out pandemonium. Samurais bustled among the shops asking for information. Miroku furrowed his brows at the taijiya before entering the closest inn.

"What happened here," he asked the elderly woman at the front desk. She looked up at them irritably before shaking her hands at them.

"For the last time, the daimyo's palace was attacked by a demon. It stole the lord's Shikon jewel shards and Kombi-sama has promised a hefty reward for the demon's head and the shards! Now, if you're not going to stay here, then leave immediately so that I can try to make some money!" After her rousing speech and vile muttered curses, she shooed them out the door. No words passed between the lovers. It was undoubtedly Inuyasha, and from the looks of it there had been no fatalities during the attacks. Sango smiled widely. 'Kagome would be so proud.'

He raised the blade over his head, his eyes full of determination and strength of will. The wind whistled above and around him, waiting impatiently for the next move, but he drew it out, letting the power of his sword flow through him. The clap of hands sounded like the bell of doom and he swung with all his strength. Multiple bolts of blue-green youki fired from the silver surface, slicing everything in his path. Undeterred by the success or failure of his attack, Shippou raised the Byakkoken over his head again, waiting for the next signal. Truth be told, his hands ached with the training, but until his new sensei ordered him to stop he would continue. After all, he had an entire village to protect didn't he? The clap sounded and he swung, letting his pain and resolve out with a cry. Far to his right leaning against a fence post stood the wandering samurai that had taken the little kitsune under his tutelage. No one knew his name, only that he answered to Sensei. It was fine; since Shippou was only looking to learn what he could, not form personal relationships with his teachers. Once he left, and they all left, he would just train with Kaede until the next swordsman or martial artist passed through. He was getting to be quite good despite the constantly changing fighting styles. The only problem was: there were no youkai! Of course, Shippou knew this was a good thing, but it still frustrated him to no end that he had this powerful sword and only trees to use it on! Sensei clapped twice rapidly, his signal to end training. The kitsune collapsed where he stood, letting the cool grass soothe his aching muscles before he made the long trek to the hot spring. Still, the walk was well worth it, and the path always led close to the well. It still hurt sometimes, to know she was so close and yet completely beyond his reach. So, in order to quell the pain he took to scratching out little messages on the well. He never understood when she explained how the well connected his world to hers, all that stuff of time travel and paradoxes made his head hurt. But he felt that if he carved on the well here, it might, just might, appear on her side too. The thought comforted him, and he decided to add another little glib to his tiny journal.

**_I miss you. I'll see you soon. He really is an idiot, but he misses you too, I just know it. It feels like forever before I can hug you again, or get any of your special candy and chocolate. But I'll wait; because it's you I have to look forward to. I love you mom. Soon, very soon you'll hear me say it in person. Soon._ **

The kitsune closed his eyes and bowed in respect to the object that had brought him his new mother and took her away before continuing on his way.

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Don't really know what to say, except that I want EVERY criticism from EVERY reader! Not just the ones with the guts to send a review! That's right, I'm calling you wusses out! LET ME HEAR IT!

Ja ne


	8. Chapter Eight

**Disclaimer**: Some people tell me I'm sick, others just say deluded, but I swear I saw Inuyasha hiding out in my closet, and I don't care what anyone says!

**A/N**: Moving right along, I present with great pride the next chapter, fresh from my overheated fingers! Hope you like, because it &ing hurt to write!

**Premeditation**

The sun set behind her as Kagura made her way to the mountains, dark thoughts twisting in her mind. 'He did it again! That bastard!' With the curse came the memory and she could do nothing to stop it.

"Naraku summons you aneue," she heard Kanna call out before her small white form disappeared from the door. Anticipating another shard retrieval, the wind sorceress traipsed over to the dark hanyou's bedchamber. Her light steps echoed among the dark walls and the sliding of the shoji door was like the hiss of doom. She struggled to see through the thick mist that assailed her as she made her way into the room.

"You summoned me Naraku," she asked, looking around for him. An arm snaking around her waist to the left startled her. It snaked through her yukata, seeking the skin beneath. A shudder of disgust and rebellious submission ran down her spine. He still did not speak; instead his other hand materialized from the miasma and ran along the artificial curves beneath her clothes, scaly rodents seeking a prize. When they reached their destination and squeezed Kagura finally gasped, hating herself and him more with each second. The damn bastard had been doing this ever since the death of that mock priestess Kikyou. Now he hardly ever kept his hands off her whenever she found herself in his presence and it sickened her to think he took pleasure from his own spawn. 'But,' she thought, biting her lip to stifle the cry of indignant rage welling from his heated touch. 'At least it's only been me.' She knew Naraku better than anyone, being his first reincarnation, and she knew him to be the most perverse beast to ever stain the earth. He would not be above such immoralities as pedophilia and sodomy, what with all the demons raging within his crimson eyes. That was her sole reason for accepting him into her in a way that she would not have done if given a choice. 'Keep him leeching on me,' she thought bitterly as Kanna walked by the slightly open door, safe for another day. Kagura's clothes were torn away and she was slammed abruptly against the hard wall. Her creator's eyes were dazed and far off, and she saw Onigumo there working his will on the half-demon. 'Wish he wouldn't be so rough,' was her last thought before her mind wandered away from the perversity, traveling the winds freer than she could ever be.

"I must be free," she declared to the wind as the den she sought came into view. "I will be free!" Floating above the entrance, she waited the two seconds it took for her target to appear. More figures moved just within the opening.

"Murderous, conniving, treacherous bitch!" Kouga stood at the front line of his pack as he stared down Kagura, who merely laughed evilly. "How dare you, showing your wretched face here after killing my comrades!" The rest of the wolf pack filed up behind him, snarling and brandishing weapons. The wind incarnation stood on her feather and opened her fan.

"You should've known Naraku would come for you shards eventually, wolf," she said, her voice carried by the wind. "Now be a good boy and give them up so I won't have to massacre the rest of your kind." To show how serious she was she flicked her wrist, making green crescents of youki fly at the band of demons. Kouga's pride, still healing from his last run-in with the mutt Inuyasha, flared in rage at the bitch's stab.

"Kill her! I want her head at my feet," he screamed, his words a war cry that sent all the wolf demons charging. Their cries and moans echoed off the mountain walls, a feminine cackle occasionally bubbling among the pain.

'Damn it, fucking snuck up on me again,' Inuyasha thought angrily as the telltale mortality seeped under his skin and he cursed the celestial disk for forsaking him. He took a sniff of his surroundings, growling when he could just barely smell a village not far up the road. He broke into a run, racing the sun. The end of the tree line edged closer and closer, but a sudden electrifying pain stopped him in his tracks. He groaned from the pain as a damnably familiar cloud of helplessness wrapped around him, suffocating him and his senses dulled, succumbing to the mortality. It stung, Gods damn it all, it hurt! For a moment he just lay there, feeling his skin hiss from the shock while he collected himself. He knew what was coming, already felt the swell of emotion gather its forces for its monthly onslaught. It began at the tips of his extremities. His fingers trembled, then the arms, until he was caught in a fit that no one could see, his heart convulsing with suffering. But just as it nearly shook him apart, it vanished, the only evidence a miniscule salt tear over his left cheek. He stood up and made to walk toward the village lights when a heavy weight slammed into him from the right, throwing him against a tree. Before he could recuperate he felt hands grab at his haori. Thousands of voices, each one overlapping the other in a cacophonous dirge, sucked the oxygen all around him.

"Half-breed! How dare you stomp through our forest! We will not tolerate this blasphemy, you shall pay, prepare for your punishment," the cries of many humans were all he heard before a sudden blow crashed against his temple and knocked him out.

"Miroku, I'm worried," he heard her say in front of him. He could sympathize with her, for he too could see the moon missing from the night sky. Nonetheless, all they could do was follow the trail, since as a human Kirara could not follow Inuyasha as easily as when he was a hanyou. In an effort to soothe his love, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed Sango flush against him. The taijiya gladly accepted the comfort, but her thoughts still came back to the vulnerable hanyou. Her friend might be in danger, and she could not provide assistance. The thoughts became darker and a sickening dread teased her, warning her that something was wrong.

Inuyasha felt the heavy hand of unconsciousness raise from his chest, letting much needed air to fill his lungs and he struggled to get up. His muscles felt heavy, and he blinked to clear the fog from his vision. A cracked roof of stone welcomed him to reality, followed by the scented air of a prison. Memories, jumbled and incoherent, returned to him in the form of images and sensations- anger, despair, surprise, pain, a mob, the moonless sky, the trees mocking him, and the lights of the village twinkling like a mirage tortures the feverish mind of the traveler lost in the desert. Muttering echoed in the void and Inuyasha struggled to listen, cursing sourly when he could not move his ears to follow the sound.

"So you've awakened demon," the disdainful voice of a man reverberated on the room walls, the last word spat like so much trash. "You truly are an enigma, foul beast. You carry a rusted sword that couldn't cut a leaf and a single arrow with no bow. On top of that, you have the audacity to don a human body, no doubt to sneak into our village and steal our crops and rape our women." Many voices agreed loudly, come calling out punishments for the 'disgusting creature.' Inuyasha ignored all this, he knew all the words and tones; he focused instead on breaking the ropes binding him to the wooden slab he lay on. Snickers and jeers rose at his efforts. The voice spoke again and this time Inuyasha could see the shaven face of a monk leering at him. "No use trying to escape, my filthy friend. Those bindings are enchanted to be unbreakable. We can't have you breaking free before you are cleansed, can we?" Before he could question what the human meant the smell of wood burning reached him. Memories, chaotic and repressed, sprang to his mind at the hated scent. His eyes burned with the visuals, and he almost didn't feel the first sear of white-hot metal against his arm. However, the second one on his arm above his elbow he definitely registered, and a scream rose to his lips before he shut it off. They would not have the pleasure of making _him_ scream! The same chuckles mocked him and the monk spoke again, waving the iron like a pendulum as it came closer and closer to the skin. "Stubborn, are we? Well, then I must redouble my efforts; otherwise you would never attain Nirvana and be doomed to the seven Hells like the rest of your brethren. Let's see, which point should I cleanse now?" Suggestions flew from all sides as Inuyasha felt the iron brand the skin of his sole. Ragged gasps and deep breaths were the only response the monk received. "Very well, I'll just try this one!" The iron seared again and this time Inuyasha could not contain his cry of agony. It tore through the crowd and out the door, ringing among the stars of the sky and continuing on into the forest.

Sango was dozing off in the warmth of her lover's embrace when Kirara face suddenly shot up a split second before a faint cry of pain reached her ears. The monk and taijiya knew instinctively who it was and the nekomata rushed toward the source of the sound.

"Blasphemous filth, impersonating one of us. Did you think we wouldn't see the truth? Repulsive swine! Feel the wrath of the gods," the monk screamed, his gleam with each burning even as the leather whip sliced Inuyasha's tattered chest. The hanyou-turned-human just turned his face away, no longer feeling the lashes as he fell into the dredges of his memory. Cries and jeers followed every lash of the whip back then too, and the soft innocent hands of children pulled ruthlessly on his ears, until he feared they would be ripped off at any second. So many voices pounding his soul with their words, their remarks, curses, criticisms, screams, taunts, catcalls, voices everywhere disembodied from their masters. His six-year-old body, already weak from the sobbing over his mother's death, broke down under the strain, becoming a limp doll as it took the abuse without question, until the worthlessness seeped into his very blood yet again, even as it dripped over the table onto the floor. Only the startled cries of the audience and a piercing feline growl wrenched him from the past, bringing him to this reality where black haze lined the outer edges of his vision. His body was pain, was blood and betrayal, sinking deeper and deeper into the pit of unconsciousness.

Kirara had lived for many years, first with the mighty priestess Midoriko, then with generations of demon slayers, until finally forming a close bond with Sango. In her long life she had seen many horrors, learned many truths that she would carry silently with her until the end of her life. Yet never once had she witnessed such savagery as what the humans in that cell were doing. Instinct took control, calling her to protect her pack brother, save him from the pain. The drop in his heart rate only served to make her angrier as she easily cleared the crowd around the door to burst into the fray. Sango was seeing red and flung Hiraikotsu at the torturer without a second thought. Miroku leapt off the nekomata to reach his friend. The sight made him wince. There were severe burns all over his body, and fresh gashes from a switch bled into his ruined gi as he lay on the table, hands hanging limply off the side. Miroku removed the ropes, vaguely noticing the mystical energy surrounding them before sweeping it aside and lifting the body of his friend. Kirara stepped forward to accept the body on her back, wrapped in his own bloodstained haori whilst Sango stomped to the monk in the corner, boomerang held high. She too had seen the cruelty of man, but to see her friend spread out on that slab and subjected to senseless torture was too much for her. Her eyes blazed with godlike fury that only intensified with each step. The man sputtered and waved his arms in a show of mercy.

"You don't understand! He's a demon disguised as a human! Do not be fooled, brother monk-," the rest was cut off when the taijiya delivered a jarring blow to the man's ribs. Miroku turned to him, eyes blazing with anger.

"Do not presume to be my brother, you vile disgrace. Anyone can see that this man is indeed human. You simply used an illusion to elicit your own masochistic pleasures. You sicken me." Silence rang in the dungeon as the group left the monk. Sango couldn't bear to look on Inuyasha, feeling the tears fall down her cheeks at how scarred he would be after tonight, despite his youkai blood. Once far away from the village, they made camp and Miroku bandaged his friend's injuries, all seven burns on his arms and legs and the hundreds of whip gashes on his chest, but the one he almost gagged over was the branding right above the apex of his legs. It was so dangerously close that it made him shudder with male sympathy. He wondered grimly of the hanyou's soul would ever recover from such humiliation. Realization hit him when those canine ears that distinguished his companion like nothing ever could twitch and the thought that he might have had to suffer this all his life. Could it have been so possible to hate one's race so much? Male pride and empathic sadness swelled in the houshi's soul for Inuyasha, for living alone through horrors Miroku would never know. The treatment set, he finally let the weariness hit him full force, no longer having the strength to hold it back. Sango lent her comfort in the form of an embrace over his shoulder. The black hand of sleep urged Miroku to rest and he obliged eagerly. Together they slept over Inuyasha's form.

**No doubt that is one of the laws of society-the less an evil is understood the more bitterly and harshly is it attacked.**

The words jumped at Kagome from the chalkboard as Tetsujin looked up at his class with his trademark smile.

"As I'm sure you _all_ recognize this quote from a short story by the renowned Russian writer Anton Chekhov," some of the class snickered at the sarcasm while others just read and reread the quote, "Then you should also know the extremely easy assignment I've planned for you. I want a three-page paper on how this insight fits into the mentality of the Sengoku Jidai and the writings of Jiji. Remember to list specific examples to support your thesis. Oh, and its due tomorrow." The class moaned in response to this revelation, Kagome included. Gods, these damn freshmen professors never let up, even with midterms looming over her, its multiple-choices and written exams plaguing her waking hours. She groaned and put her head on her table, wishing she had a family fortune or, if not, she wished to be a hermit. Anything to stop the constant tests!

"This guy sucks ass," she heard a voice say behind her and she smiled. Despite the truth of the statement, she knew better than to blow off college assignments. So, in true 'A' student spirit she whipped out her notepad and recorded everything she could think of on the quote, grimacing empathetically at the many examples from the life of Lord Inu that sprang to life. Speaking of Lord Inu- the book was getting really good, and she found herself begging for class to end so that she could finish the next chapter. Would the young lord finally admit his feelings for the Miko? Will she accept? Oh, she couldn't wait! The bell ringing some time later proved to be a starting bell at a horse track as the freshman raced out of the classroom, weaving easily among the bodies with a subconscious ease born of fighting countless battles, yet if you had told her this her face would have scrunched up in thought before laughing and walking away.

The first thing he felt was the sun on his skin. The next as he took a deep breath were the scents of two familiar people. Opening his eyes suddenly, he saw the sleeping faces of Sango and Miroku. A part of him leapt at the sight of them, happy to be in the company of humans who did not openly detest him. But another voice urged him to run. 'Remember your promise,' it whispered, and in the end Inuyasha relented. Standing up slowly and donned his haori over his gi which his youki fixed effortlessly, wincing with pain at his injuries, and began moving away from their comfort. A mew behind him prompted him to look and he was face to face with Kirara in kitten form. She jumped on him, purring madly and sniffing the bandages intently. He struggled to remain still under the nekomata's ministrations and her soft purrs on his chest, and it was with great effort that he wrenched her from him. The pain was there again, lurking under the surface of his skin and burning everywhere the little cat had touched. Kirara landed on her feet and peered at him silently. There was a strange emotion in those eyes, and Inuyasha realized it with a start what it was- compassion, and understanding. His skin burst into flame with the raw power in that gaze and he had to run, couldn't deal with such kinship. When the lovers woke it came as no surprise to find the mat before them empty save for kitten Kirara curled up in the center, fast asleep.

She should've been expecting this. After all, she knew perfectly well that Jiji was a bastard, asshole, jerk, shit, damn it! All that build up, months of sexual tension and confused feelings, and all the complex factors that made the story so engrossing, only to end up at a measly four lines! Honest to God, if she could she would've strangled him for leaving her like this, hanging off the faintest shred of emotional sanity. She almost didn't want to read the rest! Almost. Gathering herself on the sofa, Kagome opened the journal and continued the chapter. Mere moments later quiet sniffles and soft sobs echoed in the apartment, only to be drowned by the radio as the freshman curled up and cried for the Lord she couldn't remember.

"Oi! What are you writing there, coward," Inuyasha asked as he sat in his meditative pose, one eye open looking at Myouga writing languidly on a comically small pad of paper.

"Inuyasha-sama! Do not let your concentration waver," the flea admonished, his frown completely wasted on the much larger hanyou, who merely puffed at him before closing his eyes and chanting again. He had gotten much better at this meditation thing, progressing from simple deep breaths to advanced chants to various Kami. Each session brought him closer and closer to his Youkai and Human sides. They were largely different from each other, but there were many things that connected them, and through his trances Inuyasha worked to strengthen these similarities. Now five months since he began his training to become a Seer, he found it relatively easy to catch snippets, mere seconds, of the future. It wasn't helpful in a fight, but it was progress nonetheless. The encounter with the villagers and the monk no longer plagued him, as he had learned to shrug off such trivialities. Scars heal after all, even if some take longer than others. On the bright side, the hanyou could feel his instinct telling him it was almost over. Of course, he wasn't sure, but it was there. 'Maybe I should pay that wimpy wolf a visit,' he thought with a smile, imagining the bastard prostrate before him. Myouga looked up to catch the smile, and forgot his journal completely.

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Let me know how I did, everyone, because I think the end is coming, maybe even in the next two chapters! 

Ja ne


	9. Chapter Nine

**Disclaimer**: Ever since that international incident with the Queen of France, I find myself losing track of time… saying things that aren't true… Inuyasha's not mine… nothing is mine! Why, sweet Kami, why?

**A/N**: Here we go ladies and gents! Here comes what you might call a prelude to the upcoming chapter. Do not despair if it seems confusing; just remember that I never write anything without reason. Because of that, no one should take these next words lightly. Understood?

**Wrapping It Up**

The sun rose over the land of Japan, casting its soothing light on the trees and implanting its visage against the mountains. Joyfully and indifferent, it continues on its fiery path until the west winds take it to its resting place. All along the journey it witnesses the lives of those it sustains, yet it did nothing to stop them. Its brother, the Moon, gossiped of all he saw, but the mighty disk could care less about the inferior beings chained to the ground like ants, mortal and completely useless. They were born, roamed the land aimlessly for sixty years, and died alone. Yet despite all this, they still struggle against, defying Time and Fate with each breath they took. In their useless attempts to alleviate the mediocrity of their existence they changed their surroundings, willing the world to bend to their will. Such stupidity and futile waste of energy. Highest ranked among the paradoxes were Humans, with all their superficial pettiness and unbelievable simplicity. Then there were the youkai. These magnificent, almost god-like (or close enough anyway) creatures lived much longer and seemed to be the personification of Nature with their animalistic characteristics and tendencies, to say nothing of their intelligence. However, like humans, youkai also suffer from that fatal malady that could reduce the most powerful beings the world might ever push out into nothing but sentimental fools- emotion. Such imbalances of chemicals in their bodies and minds could only bring about harm. After all, being mortal wasn't bad enough that ridiculous concepts such as love, anger, jealousy, and lust have to factor into the mix? It was almost like adding insult to injury! These thoughts preoccupied the disk as it traveled, reveling in the blatant hypocrisy and contradiction of all he could see.

Down on the mortal plane, residing in his stone castle carved into the face of a majestic mountain peak dwelled the mighty Taiyoukai of the Western Lands, the great Sesshoumaru himself. His very appearance radiated power, commanded authority, and compelled complete obedience. White tresses and the white cloth under his armor rustled as he moved from his seat to the window, his indifferent gaze tuned to the sunrise. The face that moved to the pane contained such a mask like quality that even his mother in her final days of life could not discern what the cold youkai was feeling. How ironic that the disposition of which her reputation based itself on effectively severed the possibility for any kind of bonding between mother and son! That same mask remained through the proceeding eighty-six years, unbreakable to all the changes and deaths it had witnessed, until one single event made the youkai with the soul of ice thaw out like so much slush on a hot Spring day. Rin's appearance and subsequent clamping to him, both physically and emotionally, had first seemed a burden, a tedious obstacle he could not remove or surmount. From that idea she became an indescribable itch he could not satiate no matter how much he brooded over it. After resistance came anger, rage at his weakness and inability to remove the wretched wench from his sight, until finally he accepted that his enigmatic charge had found a way past his wall of emotive repression. She was in there, steadily forming a place among the darkness and emptiness that he had accumulated over the decades. Before her, he did not smile, did not speak more than two words a week, nor did he ever pay attention to his surroundings. Before her the world had seemed like a stain under his foot, always there to slow his step just enough to be a hindrance. Before her had been emotionless, guileless, unequivocal truth, the black never mixing with the white, demons and humans, breathing and _breathing_. Now the world swam with gray, captured him in odd moments as it forced the great white mountain to watch the beauty and simplicity around him, and just this morning he had felt that alien sensation at the corners of his lips, an almost irresistible urge to curve upward at the antics of his human… what? His thoughts, perfectly controlled, lurched like the needle of a record player skipping forward, breaking the rhythm it was charged to maintain. It always occurred when the lord tried to classify the no-longer-young Rin. In the three years in which she had stumbled upon him healing in the forest, she had grown taller and womanly features where becoming increasingly clear to his wayward eye. It had been so easy before to see her as his charge, an unconscious obligation for her help, menial and pointless though it was. Now he found that familiar scent suddenly alluring, her movements among the flowers and trees she loved no longer seemed child-like, but held a rather blossoming grace that ensnared him more times than he cared to admit. Even her smile, at once innocent and joyous, enclosed in it subconscious promises, seductive undertones that he knew he did not see or hear, but his body would not listen. It responded to these new mannerisms with ease, until those soft and supple limbs pulsing under her yukata shining with the dew it caught as she took her morning run along the flowers seemed to call him, begged him to touch, to kiss, to… The youkai wrenched his face from the window, calling back his fleeting emotions and mastering them instantly. Now was not the time for such thoughts. The castle had become oppressive, almost claustrophobic in the way it shrank around him. In that state of mind he was reminded of a certain white-haired disgrace that for some time he had not seen or heard of for some time. At that moment strategy played out and he turned to his door, on the other side of which stood the miniscule toad Jaken.

"Jaken," he said and before the name fully left the lord's lips the retainer had appeared before him, bowing profusely.

"What is it my lord? How may I serve you?" Sesshoumaru inwardly scorned the idolatry in his eyes but spoke anyway.

"I wish to seek out that half-breed custom and malicious Fate dictates I call brother. I trust you have information on his whereabouts?" The spike of fear in his scent and the sudden constricting of his face made him growl.

"Well, I, that is, I have been unable to locate that vile abomination for many moons now. That's not to say that I have nothing of interest," he continued quickly as he caught his' master's eyes steeling coldly at him, the look of a murderer. "The other companions, with the exception of the strange young girl, I have found, but the hanyou," he spat the word with disgust, "has vanished." Satisfied with his answer, the toad was soundly surprised when his master whom he adored above all other Kami struck him with enough force to knock him off his feet. Before he could recover his lord's face appeared in his vision, obscuring the ceiling with its majesty.

"You are useless Jaken. Your stupidity drives me to find Inuyasha myself. Inform Rin of our departure, we leave immediately." The taiyoukai turned his back in dismissal and the toad rushed to obey, his form disappearing around a corner. Sesshoumaru once again stood by the window at the sun that now gleamed two hands above the horizon.

Gods, so much blood! The mountainside was stained with it, the waterfall cascaded in crimson tears down into the lake. All around him Inuyasha could smell the stench of wolf. He had climbed the mount in order to 'persuade' Kouga to give up his shards, only to find a massacre. There were bodies everywhere, each in various forms of decay and dismemberment. The coppery scent oppressed him and left him taking shallow breaths as he looked for his target. When he found him he couldn't contain his anger. Near the entrance of the Wolf Demon Tribe's cave was an enormous pile of bodies. Among them he could vaguely make out the corpses of the two other wolf youkai that traveled with the wimpy wolf. Barely sparing a second on their memory he moved on, determined to find the source of faint breathing he just heard. At the top of the pile, cocooned with the arms and torsos of his comrades laid the Wolf Prince Kouga. The soft breathing became harsh and irregular the closer the hanyou got. Hopping the hill to land in front of the seemingly sole survivor of the slaughter, he could not suppress his wince. The wolf lay incapacitated on the top of the mound, his battered body and stumping legs blending morbidly into the carnage around him. It seemed as if he had fused with his kind. Though still alive, the hanyou could already smell the scent of death creeping into his signature. Despite all this, Kouga growled a warning.

"What are _you_ doing here, mutt," he said, the threatening tone lost due to his sudden intake of air at the pain that rushed from his bleeding knee to his brain. Turmoil reared its head and sank its deadly fangs into his mind as it struggled to retain the dignity he had been savagely stripped of. Who cares if both his legs had been cut off and that both of his arms were broken in so many places it would take months to heal, or even that in his hallucinatory state he could just see the gremlin demons of Hell waving their chains mockingly over his ruined form? The bastard did not answer, merely looked at him with something that seemed too much like pity for the proud wolf's comfort. A snarl rose from his throat, tearing as it went, but Kouga could care less.

Inuyasha was at a loss for what to say. All the way up he had been carefully planning his speech, each word a biting remark that would send the wolf into a rage and allow him to kill the asshole easily. But in the end, by some sick twist of fate, the hanyou found he was staring down a dying Kouga. It angered him to say the least. Someone had stolen his opportunity! At the same time, however, he could not help but feel sorry for the hardheaded fool. His two shards were gone, so there was really nothing else left but to wait or leave him to die in peace. In the end Inuyasha felt himself kneel before the Prince. The snarl from before rose in volume.

"I don't want your pity!" The hanyou did not take the bait, instead unsheathing Tetsusaiga. The wolf demon watched and realization dawned in his quickly dulling eyes. For one short moment the two rivals looked into each other's eyes. Truce. The next second Kouga closed his eyes, a soft smile forming. Might as well go out with a bang. "Tell Kagome to be strong, and that I'll see her soon." Inuyasha faltered at those words, the large fang hanging suspended over the wolf's neck. Without even realizing he felt his mouth move.

"You idiot, she never loved you." Did his voice really sound as dead as it seemed? The smile grew as the wolf opened his eyes.

"You're right. She loved you." The blade fell and Kouga was gone, ready to join his brothers to run among the peaks and trees of the past. Only Inuyasha was left on the mountain, sheathing his sword and walking away from the bloody exodus, the youkai's final words ringing in his ears, nothing more than a jumbled mass of sounds and lexis that his psyche refused to sort out, better content to just let it be for now. There were no other shards left. It was time. The sun was halfway through its scorching descent to the horizon when the hanyou reached the base of the mountain. Rustling through his haori, he pulled out the sacred arrow and threw it into the air. The tip shone with a pink light before flying east. Inuyasha leapt into the trees, following the beacon with all the speed he could muster, running for all he was worth, running away.

Midterms, the most dreaded event of a college freshman's life. They reared their scaly, deceptive, and frightening heads and strike so quickly that the freshman is left reeling from a blow he did not see coming. Tetsujin had said in no uncertain terms that the midterm would be an important, if not vital, portion of their final grades. The other professors who suffered the indignity of teaching these ignorant masses said much of the same, leaving Kagome with a knot in her stomach larger than Mount Fuji. She had so much to study for! And so little time! Damn Jiji to all seven hells, one after the other! It was his fault for writing so good that now she couldn't even fathom where to begin her frantic cramming session. The mountain of books and notes loomed above her; their size intimidating her frayed nerves and making her hesitate. The journal itself sat alone on her bed, looking so inviting that for a moment the woman could almost swear it was laced with a magical spell. The thought was fleeting however, as she steeled her will and dived into the work that demanded to be done.

"It's time," she heard Naraku say. Kanna merely nodded her understanding, her mirror as blank as her heart. The sinister hanyou cackled and let his barrier tremble ever so slightly, not enough to be weakened, but enough to release his scent for any mutts to catch easily enough. 'Come to me Inuyasha. Bring me my jewel and I shall reward you with glorious death!' Kanna left the room to inform Kagura of the news; oblivious to the sudden heated glances Naraku felt searing his loins at the retreating child. "Wait," his voice said as the demon felt himself come to a decision. The girl in white stopped instantly and turned to face her father. Something had changed in his expression and she noted with indifference the tentacles that sprang from his arms and wrapped around her. Thrust flush against his body she could feel the temperature of his skin rising steadily, enveloping her in its burning grip. His clothes fell away and she felt… something that pushed through the white sheet she wore and lifted her into the air before she fell right back down. It was strange, this sensation, foreign, wrong, but she did nothing, not knowing nor caring what he was doing to her. Instead, she let the void she resided in to take her mind away, and within moments her body went limp in Naraku's embrace.

Sango sighed in frustration at their predicament. Following the trail left by Inuyasha, it had led them right to the lair of the wolf demons. The carnage they found made her skin crawl, but somehow she knew the hanyou was not involved. For one thing, there were no marks suggestive of a Kaze No Kizu attack, or even any slashes that might've been his claws. The only evidence of the hanyou on the mountain was, surprisingly, concerning the dead Kouga. His legs were severed and gashes no longer strove to heal and lay open to the sun and wind. Over his neck was a single straight line, the sweet kiss of a sword. Someone else had ended his pain. Now the entire area was saturated in blood, leaving Kirara running in circles searching for any trace of her pack-brother. Four days later the youkai had yet to catch anything and worry was setting in. Miroku, to his credit, remained as supportive as possible, assuring both lover and nekomata that he couldn't have gotten too far, but the concern behind his cheerful optimism increased as well. If they did not catch the hanyou's scent it would be much harder to track him afterwards. 'This couldn't come at such an inopportune time. There are hardly any shards left.' His thoughts were halted by the triumphant growl of the nekomata. The humans mounted Kirara and headed out.

"Confound it all Inuyasha-sama! You… are… not… READY," the flea said to the stubborn hanyou pushing through the dense underbrush of the forest the arrow had led them to.

"Bah, what do I care? I finally caught a whiff of Naraku's castle and I'll be damned if I don't seize this opportunity."

"But it could be a trap," Myouga said, desperately trying to deter his irate master. As usual, he was rushing into the situation like a moth to the flame. All he had was his sword, since he had yet to complete his Sight training. The hanyou showed promise in the craft, but had yet to See anything useful. "The demon Naraku is notoriously manipulative. He must have lowered his barrier on purpose. Have you forgotten how many shards you have in your possession?" Those words made him stop for mere seconds before continuing onward. The flea inhaled to argue again but was cut off by Inuyasha.

"I don't want to hear it baka ojiisan. Whether I am ready or not means nothing now. I have been given an opportunity to avenge so many unanswered wrongs, and I will not allow _anyone_ to stop me! If you don't want to continue, then leave. I have no use for cowards in battle." The words seemed hollow and cruel in Myouga's ears, but he knew it was the truth. He couldn't help that he was a miserable, gutless, unprincipled old fool. He had been this way for centuries. Yet now, in this crucial time of which his master, the half-breed he had served faithfully for years, needed his assistance more than ever, he could not let his lack of backbone keep him away. Not this time.

"Very well, Inuyasha-sama. I shall remain at your side," he said, the noble and self-sacrificing tone in his mouth making him smile with bitterness. What was he getting himself into? Inuyasha threw the arrow again and followed it to where it landed, determined to set things right.

The fear was almost more than he could bear as he left the safety of the hut to face the incoming threat. The sword at his side pulsed and he found himself holding onto it like a lifeline. The forest before him rustled before a clump of trees split apart so violently it made him flinch. The culprit, an enormous purple beast with a tall gangly body and a long face resplendent with bloodstained fangs and beady black eyes, burst into the clearing straight toward him. His mind blanked over then and training took over. Taking a stance he awaited the youkai with a neutral face. Just as the great demon was three steps away from him, he unsheathed his blade and it transformed instantly.

"BATSU NO GENSOU," he screamed at the unwanted visitor. The sword glowed with green flame before a blast of multicolored energy scorched the air and slammed into the youkai's chest. The ensuing explosion knocked the enemy back into the forest and for one shining second he thought it was over. But it was never that easy, especially for miniature guardians that protected the village of what was once the home of the Shikon No Tama and the mighty priestess Kikyou. Lifting the Byakkoken over his head Shippou waited for his opponent to show his ugly face once more. Sure enough, the youkai heeded his summons and lumbered forward for a second charge. This time the kitsune ran to meet him. '_For Inuyasha!_' From the entrance to her home Kaede watched, an arrow notched in her arrow ready to assist if necessary. "WANGETSU NO KITSUNE BI," came the cry as flaming green crescents shot from steel. This second attack proved too strong and the demon succumbed to oblivion. Shippou leaned on his sword and struggled to regain a more relaxed heartbeat. That made four demons so far he had destroyed with his sword. Not too bad for a little runt, eh? He made his way back home when another scent floated to his nose, that of poison and decay. The memories that accompanied it made a cold shiver run down his back, freezing his spine as it went. The hand that held the Byakkoken trembled strongly before becoming totally still. Shippou took a deep breath to calm his nerves. There was no time to be afraid. He had made a promise, a vow to make sure that when those he loved returned there would be a village waiting for them, a place to call home. Straightening to his full height, he turned to face the new threat proudly. The woman before him merely snickered at the show of maturity and nobility whilst twirling her fan.

"My, my, my, aren't you just the cutest thing," Kagura said, her voice heavy with sarcasm. The kitsune did not answer, his sword moving to point right at her. The snicker became a condescending chuckle and she shook her head. "No my pint-sized guardian, I did not come here to fight." The kitsune was confused but decided to wisely keep his sword poised for attack while he spoke.

"Then why-"

"Just consider this a friendly warning. Naraku has decided to put his master plan into action. Once he possesses the Shikon Jewel he will obliterate this and every village that housed or was helped by that hanyou and his companions. You do not stand a chance against his power, so I suggest you hide from him when the time comes, just in case."

"In case of what," he asked, the confusion mounting as he struggled to comprehend everything that was happening. He just barely caught her scheming smile before she spoke.

"In case the mutt fails."

The castle and the miasma that covered it glinted with malevolence as its master lay in wait, ready to reap the fruits of his plan. 'The Shikon No Tama _will_ belong to me. Let them come, and I'll rip the flesh from their bones! This ends now!'

* * *

I pose a challenge to all my readers. In your reviews I want you to tell me what is going to happen next. And don't give me half-baked crap; I want an honest prediction of the ending. I'm still set on how the finale plays out, but I'm curious to know what you guys and gals think of all this. Who knows? You might already know the ending! We'll just have to see won't we? And for those of you who read and don't review, it only takes two minutes, seriously! After all, how am I supposed to know you like it if no one ever says anything? 

_**Ja ne**_


	10. Chapter Ten

**Disclaimer**: No more funny stuff. It's not mine.

**A/N**: Okay, on your screen is officially the _longest _chapter I have ever written. A lot is going to go down so get comfy, grab some tissues, and try to keep up.

**The End**

Naraku's castle—it loomed on the plain like an evil tyrant surveying his slaves. The sky around it was perpetually dark, the endlessly flowing miasma shrouding the walls of the building from view. It was enormous, and it pissed him off to no end that he didn't find it until now. Inuyasha brandished his blade and thrust the sacred arrow into the barrier, dispelling it enough for him to get in. The evil mist instantly closed on him like a larger-than-life guard expelling an intruder. It tore his skin, sending rivulets of blood flying through the tempest of sickly green wind, but he refused to stop. Finally the miasma released him with a sickening pop, revealing a large decrepit mansion. The shoji doors were in disrepair, the walls seemed brittle and numerous holes dotted the roof. He doubted, however, if it ever rained around here. He stood before the bastion as the small gashes on his arms and face closed over. Once it was done, the hanyou slashed the door to pieces.

"Naraku, I'm coming for you!" His voice echoed through the eerie darkness of the interior. Inuyasha continued deeper into the castle, letting its shadows engulf him until only the glowing hue of the sacred arrow protected him from the evil. The soft scraping of sandals came to his hearing almost immediately and he tensed. A soft white light materialized in the darkness, gradually increasing in size until it formed the figure of a child. He knew what to do and rushed with all his speed at the deceptively young-looking incarnation. Making the Tetsusaiga revert to its old state, the hanyou sped past the demon and thrust the blade through her back. The tip punched through easily, sticking out of her chest and slightly lifting her off the ground.

Kanna would have felt surprise, surprise at the hanyou's speed, his power, his blade tearing into her. In truth, all she felt was a certain amount of shock. Then, in rapidly growing waves, a red flower blossomed from where the sword had penetrated, filling her body with an unrecognizable sensation. It continued to her eyes, darkening the corners with a red haze. The mind struggled to form words to describe it, and one rose to the top of the list almost instantly. Pain. She was in pain! The realization rocked her tiny body to the core and suddenly she exploded from within, emotions flooding through her like a storm- scarring anger, abysmal sadness, crushing loneliness, and finally happiness. It would end soon; soon she could finally rest. Her eyes filled with tears, and she remembered fleetingly how she wondered what it would feel to cry. Even as her body shut down she struggled to find some way to display her epiphany for the hanyou, whose stricken face glowed in the red haze she was blissfully succumbing to. There was a dull pain in his eyes that she felt, _she felt_ compelled to alleviate. Words formed and fell softly from his mouth, the voice echoing with pain and defeat.

"Forgive me," he said as the guilt he had not expected flooded his being. He did not dare move for fear of hurting her more than necessary. All the memories of this young girl trying to steal the souls of his friends, or the way she deflected his attack and left him bedridden for days, or that business with Kaguya, none of it mattered in that one moment when his sword pierced the all-too-real body of the void incarnation. 'She's just a child! I killed a, a…' but his mind refused to finish the thought. He felt himself fall to his knees but made sure the blade remained where it was. Then he heard her soft voice, and was shocked to hear it filled with emotion.

"Release me, please. Release me and I'll forgive you." The tears came this time unbidden as he nodded, not trusting his voice to display his gratitude. Deciding to let his actions speak for him, Inuyasha removed the blade and in one fluid motion ended the white demon child's life. Her face was frozen in a large smile that shone like a beacon of Heaven in darkest Hell. The hanyou murmured a prayer over her body before continuing down the corridor, the mirror that fell from her lifeless hands tightly gripped in his free hand whilst Tetsusaiga rested against his left shoulder. Not long after turning to the right he heard the soft scraping of sandals coming toward him in the darkness. Recognizing the tread belonging to the wind sorceress, Inuyasha flung the mirror into the blackness.

Kagura was stunned into paralysis as a flit of silver flew past her, just barely grazing her face, before imbedding itself in the wall behind her. Turning around in curiosity, she immediately recognized Kanna's mirror. The sound of fast moving feet came too late to her ears and she could feel the cold caress of a sword against her throat before she could even turn around.

"Don't move, bitch," she heard the unmistakable voice of the mutt. Plans sprang in her mind, practiced and perfected for this very day. At the same time she felt a well of black rage fester within her. 'He killed her, butchered her with that barbaric steel club of his! Kanna!' She screamed her curses silently. The wind around her trembled and howled with her anger, the need for bloodshed and revenge screaming in its ancient language, before she finally reined it in and decided to use reason instead of brute force. However, before she could speak, the blade fell away. Bewildered by his actions and wary for any surprise attacks, she turned to face the enemy. He stood with his weapon held in a defensive position, but his eyes were looking to the corridor she had come from, where Naraku had dumped her from after he had finished with her. Her puzzlement grew to full-blown confusion when she heard his next words.

"She needs to be buried." Latching onto those words instinctively, it gave Kagura the boost she needed to understand what was going on. He was letting her go! Casting her aside for bigger prey! Far from being offended, as the proud incarnation should have been, she smiled at the wisdom of it. It saved both of them the risk of wasting precious energy, and it allowed her to bury her child sister. In silent response to his 'suggestion' she made her way where the hanyou had come from. Just before she was out of earshot, however, she heard him mutter, "Do not make me regret my decision." Proud to the end, eh? 'It's your funeral,' she thought with a sneer as she scooped up the lifeless child in her arms and left the castle, her soul singing joyously. Freedom!

Inuyasha waited until he could no longer hear or smell the wind sorceress before continuing. The decision to let her leave had been spur-of-the-moment and more of a bluff than anything else. He honestly did not want to waste time or energy fighting her. So when she had readily agreed to the proposal he had been surprised, but took it in stride. The scent of that bastard who had ruined his life and altered the destinies of everyone he had ever known spiked, making him increase his speed until he was charging full speed at the large shoji doors. They burst apart to let him in and the hanyou found a large room, empty save the rumpled futon and a burning pedestal. Underneath the stifling odor he could discern the musk of a woman's scent and male seed. Preferring not to think about what it could mean, he instead entered the room sword first. His target was nowhere to be found. Undeterred, Inuyasha sent his Kaze No Kizu into the room, turning it into a warped, blackened porch leading out to a great dirt square. A shrine stood alone at the far end. Blocking the entrance was the infamous baboon pelt that only Naraku wore. It twisted and turned in the artificial wind created by the miasmic barrier. For an eternity they stood on opposite sides of the arena. Then the abomination spoke.

"Welcome Inuyasha. I have been looking forward to your arrival for some time now. And you brought a gift, how wonderful of you," he said in that smooth and silky voice that promised such hells. Inuyasha was unfazed by this tactic, letting the silence stretch before giving his retort.

"Naraku, I've come for your head."

Two lovers astride a flaming nekomata watched the night sky with absent fascination, choosing the realm of the mind than that of the Kami. Kirara kept her nose to the wind as she toiled to find her pack-brother's scent. His speed surprised the demon cat and worried her as well because it made him very hard to track. Nevertheless, it seemed like the snippets of scent she caught were headed in one direction. Miroku noticed this too and wondered what it could mean, before it finally dawned on him and his grip around Sango's waist tightened. She squeaked with surprise.

"I know where he's going," he said and she stopped her angry remark instantly.

"Inuyasha?"

"Yes, it seems our friend has found Naraku." The taijiya's eyes widened as the implications assaulted her. 'He went alone? That bumbling idiot! He's going to get himself killed,' she thought with a thrill of dread gushing down her back. Sensing her worry, the lecherous monk kissed his love on the neck in a soothing manner. All thought ceased at the contact and she felt her body fall back against his. "Do not worry, koishii," he said, the words hazy and murmured as his hands worked their magic on her body. "He's quite capable of taking care of himself. All we can do is trust in him to stay alive long enough for us to reach him and provide any aid." He sealed the agreement with a kiss on her pulse. Sango turned abruptly and engulfed his lips with hers, letting that searing desire he always stoked within her erupt over her body. He returned her passion flame for flame, his hands stroking, rubbing, pulling, coaxing that one conclusive cry from her lips. Kirara continued along the path, all the while heading east. None of them saw the iota of white floating in the air above them in the opposite direction, nor could they distinguish the form of Kagura high up in the sky as she soared toward liberty.

Inuyasha made the first move, charging forward with sword held high, battle cry sounding. Tetsusaiga was swung and missed as Naraku evaded it easily. Out of the pelt shot tentacles that were avoided with a flip to the right. Using the momentum of the flip, Inuyasha spun the blade at neck level to his opponent. Naraku ducked and body-slammed the hanyou. As he staggered back he pulled off the baboon hide. Naraku stood in all his infernal glory, red eyes dancing with amusement.

"You are more of a fool than I would have suspected, Inuyasha. I should think that after so many useless attempts to kill me in a group, you wouldn't even consider coming here alone. Yet you stand before me like a sacrificial beast, almost begging me to take you out of your misery. I shall be happy to oblige!" The last sentence was spoken in mid-transformation as the vessel of a thousand youkai morphed. Cloth tore to accommodate the slight increase in mass as spikes and tentacles sprouted from his back. Along his arms gray armor plates materialized all the way to his shoulder. His chest was left bare, revealing the spider-shaped burn scar that was his trademark. The violet hakama remained intact as Inuyasha beheld his enemy's new form.

"Nice look for you Naraku," he said with a sneer. "It's like I can actually _see_ you now! Why don't we just keep this one because I really like the idea of tearing off those plates of yours with my sword." Naraku snarled, his face having grown enormous pincers around his mouth and eyes smoldering red with bloodlust. Inuyasha did not have long to wait before the attack.

'Alright Kagome, just take a deep breath. That's it; just let the stress roll off you onto the floor. Come on, girl, it's the last question. You can do it,' she chanted in her mind as she read the essay question for her last midterm, Lit 101. It was simple, so freaking simple that she knew the moment her pen started writing that it would prove to be the most difficult thing she would ever do.

_Discuss the themes of the book '_The Life of My Lord_' by Jiji._

The essay turned in, Kagome breathed a long sigh of relief. The trials were over, now she could go home to regroup and finish the book. The painful parting of the group had been bad enough, especially the unspeakable horrors of those stupid, superstitious and paranoid villagers, but there were only two pages left, the final entry. Curling up on her sofa with her customary hot chocolate and blanket, the freshman let the magic of the Sengoku Jidai envelop her one last time. The words washed over her as the masterful writer wove his tale, revealing, hopefully, the final confrontation that was at hand.

_New Moon_

_I write now with the greatest trepidation. The great castle of the atrocity Ukaran looms over our camp ominously, beckoning us to our doom. My powerful but stubborn master talks of waiting for the cover of night to launch his attack and will not listen to reason. This foe controls the strength of thousands of demons, some as old as the world itself! All of this power coursing under that cold red gaze, waiting for the moment where it could be unleashed. I must admit that this entire situation is thick with risk and the possibility of death in battle makes me tremble even as I write this. But I shall not waver in this. My lord needs me at his side now. For al that he has suffered, all he had endured the eighty-eight years he has survived, he does not have the strength to do this task alone. Indeed, I fear it will tax his body to the point of breach. The instability that I struggled to help him with has lessened with my training and my tales, but should Ukaran back Lord Inu into a corner, all of it would have been for naught. His humanity would succumb to the insanity of his youkai lineage, the bloodlust that lies dormant in his veins. Should this happen, it would not matter who is victorious, for my lord will be gone forever._

_My thoughts digress to a time not long past, but it seems entire empires and eternities have risen and fallen since the day I beheld the treachery of humans. For the sake of repetition and avoiding unnecessary pain I will merely say that a woman, even the daughter of a lord, is not safe from the shackles of society should she love a demon. Dearest Lady Izayoi, I grieve for you even now! The pain, the men and their rough farming hands, the flames, the screams of agony only a tortured child can make, how it must have tore at your soul! And my poor young master, to bear the brunt of generations of hatred and prejudice, their anger and fear. You did not know then, poor lad, why they hurt you, pulled your ears as their whips scraped away your skin. And each time the blood would clot and begin to heal it only served to incense them further. Even as your mother's life bled away on the floor of your home and you were forced to watch her defilement helplessly, her sorrow was only for you. The tears then were the purest crystals these old eyes have ever beheld. When it was finally done and the men and women returned to their homes oblivious to the destruction they caused, tucking their children to bed with the reassurance that the demon whore and bastard son were finally purged from their village, I saw you crawl to her, saw you place your cheek against her bosom, a desperate craving to find comfort from the pain. I remember how she lifted her arm to drape over yours, silently reassuring you even as her breathing became labored and erratic. Then when she passed, when you could no longer hear the heartbeat that soothed away the fears of the day, your wail overpowered even the roar of the flames around you, and the women awoke from their slumber, tears of pity of remorse springing forth from their souls. You took her body and with all your strength moved her away from the burning mansion. Even as the fire reduced your home and soul to blackened ruins you dug a deep hole underneath her favorite tree. Placing her within I could only watch as you prayed, repeating the only chant you knew, the very same one she had been teaching you that day as the dirt was returned and your mother, who loved you with all her heart, was laid to rest._

_Strange that I should think of such sad times when my lord, the very same child that had lived in isolation, directionless and lost, prepares for the greatest battle of his life. Perhaps I just want to be sure to preserve these memories, so they may live on in written form. Now, in the true spirit of one who foresees his demise, I shall end this tale of mine and hope that someone someday may find these pages and know that _I_ existed, _I_ lived in these times, and that my death came at my lord's side. Though I quake with fear, I shall stand firm with my lord and render my services one last time._

_Jiji_

True to his word, the last page was blank, leaving Kagome feeling oddly bereft. What about Lord Inu? Did he succeed in his battle with Ukaran? What of afterwards? What happened? So many questions for which she would never receive the answers. The despair bubbled in her again, boiling up to her throat as scenarios, images, possibilities, and endings flashed in her mind. It had to be the worse ending in written history! Surely the great Jiji did not intend to leave matters like this? As if to confirm her suspicions, Kagome grabbed the book and leafed through it, searching for the elusive conclusion to the drama that scalded her soul, but found nothing. Suddenly angry, she threw the damned thing to the wall, smirking emptily at the resounding thud it made before falling to the floor. Yet even from its desolate position in the corner the text called to her, snatching her aura and commanding it to grasp it again, read it again, see what it said, what it meant to her, but she couldn't. Grabbing her coat and keys, Kagome left the apartment swiftly and headed for Everyday Wonders. The fact that she was not scheduled to come in did not matter, the tormented woman just knew that she could not stay in the slowly shrinking room whilst that book which contained all that she knew and would not remember plagued her.

Inuyasha felt his body scream in protest as he was once again thrown into a hut. The walls caved with the force of the impact and the hay within cushioned his fall somewhat. He could hear Naraku laugh in his position away from his line of sight.

"Inuyasha-sama," the voice of Myouga said from his position on the hanyou's shoulder blade. "You must concentrate! Naraku is too fast for your present state! The only way you stand a chance is to use the Sight! There is no other way!"

"That's easy for you to say! You're not the one getting your ass kicked," he snarled before lunging forward again, only to be evaded. A tentacle lashed out, and the hanyou caught it with his free arm. Pulling it toward him fiercely, he brought Tetsusaiga in a frontal slash parallel to the ground. The blade sliced air as the bastard demon dodged yet again, a sinister cackle echoing in the wind.

"Silly mutt, you're going to have be much faster than that to catch me," he said malevolently. As if to prove his point he twisted to bring Inuyasha closer and punched the man upward into the air. Inuyasha tried to avoid the blows in midair, but in the end he lay with a tentacle protruding from his back. Blocking the pain as it sent stars to his eyes, the hanyou cut it off and leapt back. "I always knew it would end like this Inuyasha. I swore to see you broken before me and to have the power of the Shikon No Tama in my hands. Now it seems I shall fulfill my promise. Of course, there are many things I regret about this situation. It's very anticlimactic, no? You hardly put up a fight. And of course there is the matter of that precious miko of yours. Such a lovely innocence in her aura and a purity that would attract any man to her, it was disgusting. Did she allure you, Inuyasha? Did the promise of a second chance with that priestess who never trusted you and therefore could never love you seem too good to pass up? I must confess that even _I_ had plans for that tight young body of hers. I would have taken great pleasure in breaking her. I would have made her scream my name."

Something within the core of Inuyasha snapped into place with those words. An explosion of emotion destroyed the fort of repression he had created in his years of wandering since that night, bursting forth with memories and half-forgotten rages. Among the din within one word pierced like the bell of doom.

Kagome.

A golden haze that blocked out everything but himself and Naraku replaced the world around him. Inuyasha's eyes dilated rapidly until all that could be seen was amber. Naraku could see the surge of power in the hanyou's aura and took a small step back instinctively. The red-clad hanyou had slumped forward slightly, like a mannequin on strings. Seeing the apparent vulnerability, Naraku went for the killing blow, uninterested with what he saw. From the golden mist Inuyasha could see the thick tentacle fly at him slowly. He studied it absentmindedly before moving to the side so it would pass harmlessly by. To the attacker, however, he had not seen Inuyasha move. Myouga, who had been knocked away some time ago on a piece of debris saw the movement and sighed with relief. 'He did it,' the flea thought happily as the darkness swept over him again, this time taking his soul away from the battlefield. The journal, the same that would survive centuries to land in the hands of Tetsujin, lay beside him, its pages rustling softly.

Naraku was at a loss. Since the sudden change in the mutt's aura and appearance, he had been unable to land a single attack or thrust on him. The hanyou, having deduced why the mist had appeared, grinned devilishly at his opponent.

"What's the matter Naraku," Inuyasha taunted, weaving from side to side with ease. "I thought you were too fast for me? Didn't you call me a fool for coming here alone? What—can—you—do—now," he asked, each word following a dodge. Enraged by the futility of his assault, Naraku decided to lay it all out.

"Stupid, insignificant beast! I'll show you what true power is! I'll make you wish that bitch of a mother, dog or otherwise, never pushed you out in the first place! Die!" The remainder of his clothes tore away as Naraku took his true form. Six extra legs, each one a different skin texture, sprouted around his original two. The torso stretched to impossible heights as more appendages burst forth from the sides. They twisted and flayed around, more like infernal patch quilts than arms with diamond-shaped scraps of bleeding burning skin layered over his entire body. His face elongated evilly as razor-sharp spikes sprouted over the hairless head. The pincers grew as well, and the plated arms shoot outward. The center of the chest split to reveal a dragon's head with napalm drool in its jaws. The human form of Naraku could no longer be seen, replaced by the snarling, shifting beast towering over Inuyasha. The hanyou remained still during the entire transformation, golden eyes hidden by white bangs. A deep, hellish voice issued from the pincers as the massive mouth moved to form words.

"This is the face of Death! I shall not spare you this time, nor will I prolong your living through torture! You have bored me beyond all reason and I will tear the skin from your bones! Die half-breed!" Fifteen tentacles shot at random times. Inuyasha watched them pierce the mist in the same slow speed he had grown accustomed to. Lifting Tetsusaiga over his shoulder, he leapt at the abomination's face. Naraku could only watch as the crimson and silver blur dodged and spun before feeling the blade pierce the skin of his cheek. Inuyasha landed on a shoulder and flipped until he stood behind the youkai.

"Honestly, Naraku, is this the best you can do. I think I'll just use my claws since you're not being that much of a challenge," he said and sheathed his powerful fang. Removing it from his haori strap and placing it on the floor, the hanyou leapt again. Naraku could feel his mind become blanketed with rage to see this most unbelievable insult. The dragon's head shared his anger by releasing its mythical flame on the hanyou. Although it did not harm the hanyou thanks to his fire-rat fur, the blast did manage to stop him enough for the abomination to get a hit in. Inuyasha felt the wind forced out of his lungs before slamming into the ground. Stars erupted in his eyes and he struggled to breathe. In his attempt to recover from the pain of the blow he felt tentacles envelop him. 'Damn, that bastard sure hits hard,' he thought bitterly as he felt his body lifted into the air. Deep guttural laughs scalded his ears.

"Your arrogance will be your undoing," he said, the pincers striking together forcefully with every word. "What use do you have for Sight if you can't even move? Become one with me Inuyasha, and join the power that I command!"

"I see it! It's Naraku's castle," Sango said as she tightened her grip on Hiraikotsu. Kirara roared with triumph and rage whilst her companions readied for battle. Miroku, feeling the barrier weakened, used sacred sutras to blast a hole wide enough for them.

"Let us make haste," the monk said as the miasma parted to let them pass. "Inuyasha might need our aid!" Before any more could be said the nekomata and crew burst into the fray.

Inuyasha heard a familiar bellow behind him and felt panic seize his heart. 'No! What are they doing here? Those idiots, they could get hurt!' Unconsciously twisting his head around he saw Sango, Miroku and Kirara standing like ants against a typhoon. Their voices only served to further freeze his blood.

"Inuyasha! Are you okay," the taijiya asked, almost missing the incoming flit of steel to her right. Bringing her boomerang to bear just in time, she faced her attacker. The limp body of a boy on invisible strings materialized from the wreckage of a fallen warehouse, the kusarigai returning to his hand. Kohaku locked blank eyes with those of his sister for a split second before charging forward.

"Reunited again," Naraku said with a cackle as the siblings fought, the eldest desperate with need and crying for the heartache to end. Inuyasha felt his hands bleed from containing his rage. The amber in his eyes flashed and the hanyou gave a yell of exertion before forcing the tentacles apart. Wasting no time he thrust his claws along the face of the dragon. Chunks of scaly skin fell away and the reptile roared with pain. From both side the arms came and Inuyasha flipped back out of harm's way. His claws in the sand jarred him to a halt next to Miroku as he fought the minor demons that had accumulated around the clearing to watch the battle and perhaps gain some tasty human flesh.

"What the hell are you doing here," the hanyou hissed, his eyes never leaving the enormous beast in front of him.

"We are here to help you, you stubborn ass," came the response, the last word emphasized by the sound of his staff slicing through yet another demon. He had been trying for some time to get to Sango and Kohaku, who were still battling on the sidelines, but had become bogged down by the opportunistic youkai. Inuyasha snarled with exasperation as he created a path for the monk, hollered at him to take Sango and go, and returned to his own battle. During this entire time Naraku focused his energy over the dragon's open mouth, ready to destroy them all in one shot. Inuyasha felt the haze around him suddenly fill with a bright light that decimated everything around him. He realized what the bastard was planning and went for his sword. The ball of black youki compressed upon itself and grew. The magnitude of its power made all other combatants stop and behold with morbid fascination. Inuyasha unsheathed Tetsusaiga and stood between his friends and Naraku. He merely laughed at the attempt of protection.

"Nothing can stop me now! You shall die and the ashes of your bodies will fertilize this ground for generations! Your time has come. DIE!" The blast departed from its master and surged to its destination. Inuyasha closed his eyes and let the Sight wash over him. The blade in his hands shimmered with golden tendrils of wind, the tip facing oblivion. The end was near, fate held its breath, and the hanyou struck.

"BAKURYUUHAA," came the cry over the cacophonous shriek of the youki. The ball broke into black twisters of energy that shot back at Naraku. His scream as they tore his body apart made the very mountains around the mansion shudder. A hailstorm of body parts rained down over the clearing as the humans and nekomata struggled to recover. What remained of the menacing Naraku as Tetsusaiga dissipated the souls of the youkai was a tall, badly burnt man wrapped in bandages—Onigumo. He staggered to his feet and with his one good eye glared hatefully at the hanyou.

"Damn you, Inuyasha," he screamed, his burnt voice box grating the words like two rusted pipes rubbing together. "You've taken everything from me! You and that accursed sword of yours have ripped Kikyou, my life, my immortality, my very soul, all of it from me! With my last breath I promise to see you dead!" The ground shook and split with the force of his rage as the greedy bandit made his final stand against the detestable half-breed. Inuyasha had heard enough and charged forward to end it. Their youki collided, one full of hate, the other with determination and triggered a devastating explosion that sent Miroku, Sango, Kohaku, and Kirara flying in different directions. Within the epicenter Inuyasha thrust his sword into the heart of the one who had caused such pain and chaos to him. The bandit disintegrated, his remains scattering to the four winds and when the smoke cleared, Inuyasha stood victorious and alone over the field. Wasting no time, he ran to the ruined shrine and used the sacred arrow to fish out the jewel. It glowed with Naraku's malice and rage for one brief second before it succumbed to the purifying light of the arrow. Inuyasha brought his shards together with the large piece. They fused into one round pearl and the hanyou felt a great weight lift from his heart, that is, until he noticed the miniscule chip missing. For a moment despair wracked his frame, then he remembered what the final shard was. He sniffed the air, tossed the air, and found it. The wind whistled at his departure, a new cargo in tow.

Miroku felt the stabs of pain awaken him and he struggled to sit up. From the moment he opened his eyes he knew that it was finally over, the unceasing void in his palm pulsing for his blood, his soul, no longer weighed down his spirit. He might have felt elation were the situation capable of allowing such a positive response. The first thing he noticed upon waking was Sango on his knees with her face in her hands; her sobs were laced with such futility it broke his heart. Crawling slowly over to her, he winced with pain as he embraced her. The human contact of the one she loved only served to remind her more keenly of who was gone. From the moment she could move the taijiya had gone on a frantic search for her brother but try as she did, all she found was his kusarigai lying against what looked horribly like blood. It was there that the monk had found her, crying over a pool of blood. Around them the ground was black from the explosion and flattened save for tiny mounds of wood and mud, as if there had never been anything else in this one plot of land. Miroku rocked his love back and forth whilst studying the end result of the battle with Naraku. To his left Kirara stirred, the unconsciousness lifting with a pained whine. Besides her, there were no other living beings as far as the eye could see. Inuyasha was gone. Preferring not to dwell on the hanyou, he whispered to his love as her tears died away.

"Come, koishii, let's return to Kaede's village. There is nothing more we can do here and your wounds need tending," he said in the softest, most comforting voice he could manage. She trembled with sadness before sighing.

"I just wanted to see him again," he heard her say, her voice low and carried solely by the wind.

"I know, but his soul is at peace now. Inuyasha would not have let him suffer," he said. She nodded before standing weakly. Miroku couldn't know that this was perhaps the worst thing to say, for it triggered a defense mechanism Sango had developed over the years for emotionally-charged situations—rage. It blinded her to the pain, the sadness and the realization that she was the last of the Taijiya, and focused on the face of whom she had once called friend. 'Inuyasha, I curse your existence,' she chanted mentally, feeling the flames of hatred in her veins pool in the pit of her stomach. That damn hanyou had taken her away her one chance to be with her brother, destroyed her happiness without a thought or a care! His face, bleeding so vivid in her mind, suddenly switched from arrogant spite to that same emptiness she had seen that fateful day in the clearing. The realization that she was blaming her friend for something he would never do made her knees give again. She crumbled to the floor and resumed her sobs, begging forgiveness to the Kami for whatever wrong she had committed to deserve this pain, anything to make it stop! Kirara walked over to them slowly, an object in her mouth. Miroku reached for it with his free hand and found it to be a small book. Upon closer inspection he could just make out the title—A Servant's Tale. Pocketing it with a sad smile, Miroku helped Sango onto Kirara (cupping a feel that she swatted away half-heartedly) before mounting and the three headed back to the village where it all began.

"Sesshoumaru, I need a favor."

The delicate zephyr passed its hand over his cheek as he stood in a clearing of grass surrounded by deep woods, watching the object of his search intently. 'How ironic that after looking for him for so long, _he_ would come to _me_,' he thought fleetingly.

"Inuyasha," he said with the same icy demeanor he exerted on those lower than him. "What makes you think this Sesshoumaru would aid you in any way shape or form? What delusion have you suffered compels you to my presence only to die," the lord said, never once letting the satisfaction enter his voice. Could it be that the proud son of a bitch, the arrogant ass that refused help from everyone, the young orphan who watched with dry tears in his eyes as his las living family turned his back on him, as the door to his father's castle remained closed despite his feeble fists pounding against it, was _Inuyasha_ actually asking for help?

Inuyasha did not flinch at the veiled threat, keeping his eyes trained to those of his brother's. He hated the fact that it had come to this, but the hanyou had no other way to complete the quest with his conscience intact. So, even if it required bearing the nuisance of the Ice Asshole's company, Inuyasha would get what he needed and be off. He had much bigger things to do now. That being said, he got right to the point.

"I invoke my right of a royal sibling boon. As the acting lord of the Western Lands, you are duty-bound to grant any one wish that a member of your family asks of you. Seeing as how I'm the only family you have, I say you got off good," he finished with a smirk, glad for once that he had listened to Myouga during one of his never-ending monologues on youkai royal protocol. Sesshoumaru felt his mask falter before plunging into incredulity. How had a hanyou that had never so much as step foot in a demon court know these things? It angered him, the very idea that Inuyasha would use _his_ environment and rules to aid him when all he wanted was to slice him open and let Toukijin suck his blood. Inuyasha stiffened, all too familiar with the scent of bloodlust, and reached for Tetsusaiga with one hand. "I'm not here for a fight. Simply grant my request and I shall be on my way." To prove his intentions, he laid the source of his appeal on the grass before him and stepped back. The obvious sign of submission calmed the Taiyoukai somewhat, but only just so. Once emotions were under control, Sesshoumaru spoke.

"Very well, half-breed. I will grant your request on one condition," he said and Inuyasha eyed him warily.

"What condition?"

"I have heard rumors that the amalgamation of youkai known as Naraku has been defeated. The most farfetched of the information is that it was a lowly hanyou that brought down this abomination."

"Yeah, so what?"

"Well, if you want this boon, then you must best me in battle. I wish to see your progress with the Tetsusaiga," the demon lord said and brought Toukijin to bear. Inuyasha snarled impatiently.

"Damn it all, Sesshoumaru, I told you I don't want to fig—" the rest was cut off as the hanyou leapt back to evade the sword strike.

"Whether you wish to fight me or not is of no consequence. Draw your sword or die." The next blast served as a testament to how serious he was. Youkai Inuyasha welcomed the battle and Human Inuyasha accepted that it was the only way. This agreement made the golden haze descend and the hanyou smiled at the downward slice Sesshoumaru used. 'It may be underhanded to use this, but its time this bastard got knocked down a peg or two,' he thought as he sidestepped the strike. Sesshoumaru did not notice the smirk and in his graceful way changed the direction to follow his half-brother. Rin sat among the grass, her head barely higher than the longest stalk, watching the fleeting blurs before her. Losing interest in them quickly, she turned her attention to what Inuyasha-sama had placed on the ground.

Marvelous, truly unbelievable how far this damnable fool had come. Sesshoumaru was no fool, he could clearly see the golden light emitting from his opponent's aura and easily discerned what it meant. Not to mention the self-satisfied smirk plastered on his face every time he dodged Toukijin, and he hadn't even touched his blade! He took comfort in the fact that he too was withholding his true strength, using the 'battle' to come to terms with the idea that his brother really was strong enough to rival almost any youkai in existence. It was to be expected, since it was Inu No Taisho blood flowing in those undeserving veins after all. The squeal of excitement to his right made him turn in that direction. In that second of vulnerability Inuyasha lashed out with his foot. The kick collided with cheek and the demon lord was brought down. It didn't matter, Sesshoumaru had already decided on his course of action. Rin ran to him, practically gushing with anticipation and begging for the boon to be granted. The growl that bristled in his throat was forcefully pushed down as he reached for the sheathed sword on his waist. In one swift movement Tenseiga slashed over the body and was promptly returned to its home. At the same time Inuyasha scraped the sacred arrow over the jewel shard's hiding place. Once the act was done, the soft sounds of breathing were all that could be heard in the clearing. The hanyou hoisted his reborn cargo and left the clearing silently, whilst Sesshoumaru watched with bemusement and reflection. Rin waved cheerfully at them.

"Remember to visit sometime, Kohaku!"

Once they were a good distance away, he put the boy down against a tree. Leaving him there to wake on his own, the hanyou returned the Shikon No Tama to its former glory. It shone beautifully on his palm before he hid it in his haori. The sacred arrow, its duty finished, disintegrated. The wind carried it high into the clouds. 'Thanks again Kikyou,' he thought before turning his attention to the now softly crying boy behind him. The memories had returned with the soul. Inuyasha watched as the youngster fisted his hair and mumbled incoherently, struggling with the guilt tearing him. Growling low in his throat, the hanyou grabbed him by the shirt collar and lifted him high in the air, effectively silencing his cries.

"I know that you're in pain, and the guilt you're feeling must be unbearable. If you so choose, I will end you life here and now," he said, cracking the joints of his free hand as an emphasis. "But if I did that, then Sango would never forgive me, or you. When we are in pain, it's easy to wish for death, to escape reality and long for the soothing hand of eternal sleep. But if we do that, then we accomplish, and the world, everyone, Time itself, suffers from our cowardice. To live, push against the agony and to continue taking breath, continue walking forward into the sunrise, takes true courage. I did not have you revived so that you may live a tortured existence plagued with your memories. I brought you back so that _you_ can make that decision. Will you find the strength to overcome the blood and darkness of the past and create new light for the future? Or shall I return your soul to the abyss without redemption?" Kohaku did not answer, so the hanyou released him and started walking. "I'm headed for Kaede's village, where your sister is mourning the death of her beloved brother. If you wish to live, then follow me. If not, I leave you in the mercy of the forest." Nothing else was said. Soon after another set of footsteps could be heard among the trunks of the trees, heading east.

Sango stood against the door of her hut, eyes trained to the rising sun with trancelike intensity. Arms encircling her did not register, but the feel of soft lips on her neck finally broke her from her reverie. She turned her head to catch Miroku in a "good morning" kiss before once again returning her eyes to the clouds. The monk held her, deciding to just enjoy her presence for now. 'There'll be time later for other thoughts,' he thought with a lecherous grin and he rested his chin between her shoulder blades. After the wounds were tended and all reunions between the old miko and kit were satisfied, the two had journeyed back to Sango's village. More youkai had infested it in their absence, making it very difficult for just the two of them to get rid of the demonic auras. In the end it was Sango that decided to leave. Her reasoning behind this was simple. The village that had been her hometown was meant to serve as a reminder that she had been loved and needed once, since love for a fiercely independent woman such as herself was rare. But now it was merely a shadow of its former self, a ghost of a town that held no memories or ties. Besides, who needed a village to feel loved when she had a lecherous monk that dramatically proclaimed his love at least ten times an hour? Miroku had enjoyed this little tidbit of information greatly and without hesitation fell to his knees and asked for her hand in marriage. She agreed, sealing the proposition with a kiss that brought tears to her eyes. Love truly was a wondrous thing. It was capable of such good, the ultimate healing salve and the purest of pleasures. But at the same time, it could shatter your soul and tear the heart to shreds. These thoughts held her being where she stood, pondering the mindset of one whom Love had ruined. Only Kirara was missing from the scene, but she had gone on the morning patrol with Shippou. Neither of them, having only human senses after all, saw the rustle of leaves in the forest, nor did the fleeting afterimages of red and white among the trunks draw their attention away.

The little kitsune walked intently, one hand on his sword handle while his eyes scanned the boundary of the forest for any sign of youkai. The nekomata strolled beside him, silently admiring the pup's intensity. He had grown much in their absence, having nothing to do but train to defend his home. And he did very well in that aspect, dispatching four full-grown youkai with his sword despite his tiny size. A scent in the wind, fleeting and impossible to discern, broke her thoughts and she looked to the trees. By the kitsune's stiffening and spike of evanescent fear she knew he had caught it too. They stood side by side facing the trees, ready for anything that would come.

Pausing only for a second, he smiled at how quickly the runt had caught his bait. Flipping and hovering above the ground in random and haphazard patterns, he watched with amusement as Kirara followed his every move whilst the little kitsune struggled to keep up. Closing his fist on the shining pink jewel in his hand and griping Tetsusaiga with the other, Inuyasha let the Sight glaze his eyes into solid amber orbs as he leapt high into the air.

The nekomata morphed and leapt out of harm's way, but Shippou stood his ground. At the last possible second he drew his sword and barely deflected the slam of the incoming sword before the enemy vanished. He looked around, sniffing madly for any trace of the strange scent that was both familiar and alien. A flicker of silver warned him and the sword appeared again to his right. A battle unlike any he knew ensued, where he scrambled to deflect the blows of an invisible foe. All that could be seen was red and white, white and red. It triggered painful memories, but one voice pushed through the images.

"Do not let me in runt, defend the village from the threat," it chanted, a whisper on the wind. For the moment the kitsune decided to listen to it rather than to divine who it could be and what it meant. Finally, after putting up a great defense, he felt the first traces of fear enter his veins as Byakkoken was knocked away. A sudden fist to the gut brought him to his knees, grass filling his vision. He struggled to breathe as the blades became hazy and clear, clear and hazy. Then he saw a pair of feet to the side. Red was wrapped around the ankles and continued away from his sight. It was too recognizable for comfort; he could not stop the tears. Then that voice, hated and longed for, fell to his ears. "Not bad runt, keep up the good work." Nothing else was said as the feet disappeared as if they had never existed. Kirara watched him go, acknowledging his nod with a purr of her own.

Sango found her eyes drawn to the trees almost magnetically. Something was coming, she knew it, and a shiver of anticipation raced down her spine. The chill intensified, until she seemed to have caught cold in Miroku's warm arms. Finally she caught sight of the silhouette of a child walking toward her. The taijiya felt her heart thud helplessly against her ribcage as she struggled with the same old pain. It was a trick, an illusion her heart created whenever she lowered her walls. She blinked continuously, willing the boy away, but the outline stubbornly ran its course and she could see short, cropped hair and the training garb of a taijiya apprentice. 'No, no, no, you _know_ it's not true!' It was only until the forest receded and the boy appeared in the clearing that she finally broke from Miroku's slackened arms. There were tears in her eyes as she closed the distance and embraced Kohaku fiercely, knocking him to the ground with her weight. She cried and cried, feeling s of joy blooming in her heart for her brother's return. He too returned her hug, though hesitantly. Miroku joined after an appropriate wait, a broad smile on his face as he helped them to their feet. The siblings walked to the hut while the monk stared at the trees the boy had appeared from. Thanks to renewed training in this time of peace, he had just caught the aura of an old friend. Inuyasha was there, somewhere. His presence with the sudden emergence of Kohaku could not be coincidence.

"Thank you, my friend. You could not have given her a better gift than this," he said, knowing Inuyasha was listening. The monk turned away with a wave and walked back to the hut and his family. From deep within the tree line the hanyou leaned against the Goshinboku, a sad smile on his face. 'Looks like that's everything here,' he thought, leaping to his final destination. 'All that's left is…' He thought no more as he fell into the Bone Eater's Well. The bright blue light and the feeling of weightlessness stretched into eternity, but five hundred years later it finally released him. The scents and noise of the modern era served to shock him into numbness. The jewel pulsing in his haori strengthened his resolve and the hanyou leapt out of the well house into the shrine grounds. Nothing had changed, the same birds chirped in the same clump of trees, the sacred sutras around the god tree continued to rustle in the breeze, it was as if Time had stopped here, a deception Inuyasha was all to ready to accept were it not for one simple difference, so subtle it wouldn't have caught his attention—her scent. It had waned, gone stale, as if she had not walked by here in a long time. Preferring not to dwell on such unpleasant notions, Inuyasha walked over to the front door. The window was his usual entrance, but seeing it had been quite a while since he had come to this time, it might not have been proper. Hesitating before the slipping door for a moment, he took a deep breath and knocked on the door. The voice of the elder Higurashi woman made his throat constrict as she invited him in. Inuyasha stood in the doorway waiting for her as she came from the back of the house.

"Welcome to Higurash—" the greeting died on her lips at the sight facing her. Although it had been more than three years since that fateful night in Kagome's room, she recognized the hanyou immediately. Without a moment's hesitation she ran up to him, embraced him briefly, and proceeded to inspect him from head to toe. His familiar red haori and hakama covered his body from ankle to neck. The real change lay in the face. The cheeks had grown leaner as his lips were so thin they almost disappeared into his visage. Those cute ears that had constantly twitched in all directions were still, trained solely on her. Yet none of this could compete with what Shiori saw in his eyes. Kindness and wisdom still shone there, but behind it stood an impenetrable wall, shielding the observer from what was within the hanyou's soul. Moist sorrow fell as she finally spoke. "I'm sorry Inuyasha, for everything." The apology seemed to summon his lips from oblivion and that memorable gruff and gentle voice followed.

"Is she here?"

Kagome flipped through the channels in an effort to curb her boredom when the phone rang. Debate erupted within as to the next course of action. Stay vegetating on the couch watching thousands of humdrum images flashing by and let the machine get the call, or resume the processes of life to answer the contraption and risk being caught in yet _another_ ploy by some ambitious entrepreneur convincing her that she in fact did not need her money and should buy their brand new product or sample their new facilities! In the end the recorder switched on and a voice, her mother's, filled the room.

"Hello, dear. I was rather hoping to find you at home, but it seems you're still at work." The freshman winced guiltily but did not move. "In any case, I called to ask if you wouldn't mind coming home for a visit. It's been so long since I've seen you and I would like to catch up. Also," she continued but the machine had had enough and cut her off mid-sentence. Kagome pondered on what to do. It _had_ been a long time since she had last seen the shrine. Secondly, summer vacation had officially started and there wasn't anything to do. Sure, she had been invited to a few parties and shindigs, but it truthfully did not interest her. On top of that, her bosses had decided to take a little vacation time themselves, closing the shop but promising her full pay anyway. They were such sweeties! So with all these little complications combined it made for a very long and dreary day. Looking out her window she could see the sun making its final descent into the horizon, its journey done for now. 'The shrine itself is at least an hour's drive away, so I better hurry if I want to get there for dinner,' the freshman miko thought as she changed into something more suitable and left the apartment.

The stairs creaked under his weight as he slowly, so slowly scaled them like the hiker seeking heaven in the sky. Each step exhausted him until he was panting with exertion in front of what he sought. The door, so blank and innocent, made his heart jam on his ribs painfully. Resting his fingers on the metallic knob, he gathered the courage and twisted it. Barrier cast aside, the hanyou stepped into the room and inhaled deeply. The scent of jasmine filled his nostrils and a soft rapture encased his very being. Closing his eyes and walking around, he delighted in every scent he half-remembered and yearned for and had Shiori walked in at that moment she would have seen him with his nose on the mattress, the seat, the table, even the closet sniffing deeply, almost desperately. As it was, he had controlled himself enough that by the time Higurashi-sama did come in she saw him merely standing in the middle of the room with a blissful but sad look on his countenance. That night returned and she hurried her words in order to get out as soon as possible.

"Would you like some Ramen Inuyasha," he heard her ask and the memory of the delicious ninja food sprang to the forefront. He nodded to her without moving. She took the subtle hint and left him to his whim. Once the water was set to boil, her mind immediately tackled the challenge of telling him everything. Would he understand? Could he see reason, or would she just end up pushing him over the edge? And what of her daughter? Would seeing her long-lost love fix the sickness she suffered from for three years? So many questions, too many for her to sort through. All she could do was pray that everything would be all right. Placing a smile over her gloom, she went to attend the hanyou. 'If only Kagome were here.' "There's something I think you and I should talk about Inuyasha," she began when he sat at the table to eat the noodles. "It's about Kagome."

"Then I don't want to know." The immediate answer made her stumble over the speech she could hear in her mind.

"Why not?"

"Because I didn't come here to try to win her heart. There would be no point. I'm here to return the Shikon No Tama to its rightful owner. If she finds it in herself to forgive me and wishes to be my friend, then that's fine." That's right Inu, lie through your teeth but make it believable. She doesn't need to know that your heart is reforming; healing under the soothing scent of the woman you loved, still love. And she didn't need to see the fear in your soul that maybe Kagome had forgotten him, moved on and left him in a past she did not want. Shiori could only listen to the defeat in his words. He could've been bragging about winning every gold metal in the Olympics and it still would've tugged at her heart to hear it. She could hear all the things he wasn't saying, could see another layer permeate the wall three years of separation had raised. 'Kagome, you have so much damage control to do,' she thought as they ate their Ramen in silence. 'I just hope you don't make it worse.'

A sneeze tickled the back of her throat until it escaped her pursed lips in a sharp exhalation of breath anyone would've called cute. 'Someone must be talking about me.' Smiling at the silly superstition, she decided to listen to the radio on the way to the shrine.

_Looking back at me I see  
__That I never really got it right  
__I never stopped to think of you  
__I'm always wrapped up in things  
__I cannot win  
__You are the antidote that got me by  
__Something strong  
__Like a drug that got me HIGH  
__What I really meant to say  
__Is I'm sorry for the way I am  
__(I never meant to be so cold)  
__(I never meant to be so—  
_

_How do I breathe without you?  
__I want to know—_

'That's not good driving music,' she reasoned internally as her hand ran over the dial.

_(Truth is)  
__I never got over you  
__(Truth is)  
__Wish I was standing in her shoes  
__(Truth is)  
__When it's all said and done  
__Guess I'm still in love with--_

The turning increased, but each song seemed to hold some poignant meaning that she wished with all her heart to avoid. It was no good to be puffy-eyed and teary to the first visit home in a year.

_Strumming my pain with his fingers  
__Singing my life with his words  
__Killing me softly with his song  
__Killing me softly--  
_

_I don't want to be lonely no more  
__I don't want to have to pay for this  
__I don't want another lover at my door  
__It's just another heartache on my--_

_All my life  
__I prayed for someone like you  
__And I thank God  
__That I finally found you--_

Sweet relief from the music came when those same steps she had scaled every day for nineteen years. The memories pushed on her eyes as the expanse of time finally threw its significance on her back. A whole year! Three hundred and sixty five days since she had been in her room, her living room, her home! But no more. Soon, she would walk on that sacred land; see all those who loved her once again.

Shiori was ready to give up. After trying every technique she knew to get the hanyou to open up short of jumping on his lap the elder Higurashi had yet to make any leeway concerning information. Inuyasha stubbornly refused to say anything about what he had done in the three years since she had last seen him. His monosyllabic quips and ambiguous tidbits only served to stoke the elder Higurashi's curiosity. All he did was sit motionless, the empty Ramen bowl fixed loosely in his hands. Those same sheltered eyes stared at nothing; he seemed to be in a kind of restless serenity. Were it not for the steady flaring of his nostrils she would have thought him dead. Then suddenly, as one who is splashed with ice water out of nowhere, his ears flickered in the direction of the door. She almost cried all over again as that same hopeful glint flit across his blank eyes and he spoke, the voice a whisper.

"She's here."

Fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, and twenty! She skipped the last step to keep it even and took a deep breath. The smell of incense and forest made her heart jump with joy. She took another breath and walked slowly to the front door. It felt like all the cogs were falling into place, as if Fate itself were heaving a sigh of relief. The quiver of anticipation overtook her, bringing her eyes to rest on the majestic tree Goshinboku. Its branches danced in the soft breeze, welcoming her home again. So great was her peace and glee that she did not notice the pulsing of a certain aura or jewel within. So with a loud voice and a slam of the shoji door Kagome Higurashi announced her arrival to the junction of past and present.

"Tadaima!"

He almost moaned in bliss when he heard that beautiful voice just fill the house. The everlasting sunshine had returned and he listened to every step with more pleasure than anything in all his life. The door to the living room slid open and she was revealed to him. Wearing baggy shorts, a long white shirt, and flimsy sandals, Inuyasha could not recall seeing anything more glorious in all his life. She rushed in and embraced her mother, completely missing him, but it didn't matter. She was here, after all. Time passed as the two women gushed and caught up with events while the hanyou sat mere inches away. Patience wearing thin, he decided to direct some attention on him, so he cleared his throat. Shiori's eyes widened and she quickly remembered who was here.

"Kagome, dear, someone's here to see you," she said, signaling to Inuyasha. The time it took for her to turn and face him seemed excruciatingly long. When her eyes locked with his and he saw them light up he could feel his soul smile. Then she spoke.

"Hi! I'm Kagome, what's your name?" It could have been a joke, her unique defense mechanism for dealing with the shock of seeing him again. He might've believed that, were it not for the genuine smile and latent subconscious analysis that she always had upon meeting a stranger. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the mother place her hand over her mouth and the cold scraping his spine disintegrated all the joy. 'She doesn't remember, does she,' came the little voice, neither Human nor Youkai Inuyasha, the utterance of the orphan who accepts tragedy. All these thoughts and the decision that stemmed from it occurred in the blink of an eye. On the outside he returned the smile with a soft one of his own.

"It's Inuyasha. There is something I need to give you."

Kagome could feel the heat pool in the pit of her stomach when she saw the god before her. He was gorgeous, dog-ears and all! He seemed to be from another world, another time, and it only heightened his mystique. The young woman was at a loss for words, her hurried greeting taking all the energy she had to speak. The part of her mind that _wasn't_ drooling over this wonderful example of man was saying something, screaming in a stage whisper that she couldn't discern. Then through the trance she heard his response. Inuyasha, dog spirit, it seemed to fit him perfectly. The name made the little voice rise in volume slightly and she could just make out what it was saying. 'Remember, remember, remember, REMEMBER THE FORGOTTEN!' Remember what? Wait, he was talking.

'Not again! Why, why, oh why did she have to do this?' The scene played out before and all she could do was watch.

"I'm here to impart a very valuable jewel in your possession. It took almost six years to complete, but now its time that it be returned to its proper owner." He reached into his haori and pulled out the Shikon No Tama. Standing up, he waited until she did the same. Confusion was evident on her face as he spoke again. "As it was passed for centuries from the great miko Midoriko, so shall it be restored into the care of the rightful guardian." He took hold of her hand, feeling a bit of himself die at the heat in her palm, and placed the mighty gem in it. Lingering as much as possible, the hanyou hid his eyes behind his bangs. He just couldn't look at her anymore. "It was wonderful to see you again," he mumbled before letting go and stepping back. Etiquette lessons from youth played in the form of a deep bow near the door. "Sayonara Kagome-sama." He left the kitchen, feeling the turmoil in his heart escalate with every step away from her that he took. But what could he do? 'She doesn't even remember me! I can't go through the motions of creating a friendship knowing already that I love her! I would just force myself on her or force her away again. It's for the best,' he thought as his hand reached for the handle of the front entrance.

"Wait!" It stopped him cold and he turned to see her standing in the hallway. She was blushing, whether from embarrassment or something else he couldn't tell. For a moment hope bloomed feebly, only to be dashed by infernal ice.

She had to try, even if it caused her embarrassment. All the time he had been speaking the twitching ears on top of his silver mane had fascinated her. The only time she did not watch them was when he had held her hand and whispered those strange words. It made no sense; she had never met him before, though she wished she had. When he said farewell, Kagome could see her only chance to do it slip away, so she took a deep breath and followed him. He had turned to her entreaty without a word, but his face betrayed him. She had seen the hope glisten and fade away. A deep sadness welled in her then even as her cheeks burned with the attention. Pushing all that aside, she went for it.

"Can I touch them," he heard her ask and the sad, happy, exasperated, amused, bitter chuckle escaped before he could stop it. Her cheeks turned redder and she began to fidget nervously. In an effort to dispel her discomfort he lowered his head to her level.

"Of course." She squealed happily and ran her fingers along the edges, mapping out the shape and texture of his ears. It was absolute Heaven, it was merciless Hell, to feel such things and never be able act on them, never see her smile warmly at him or scowl with frustration, only to make up later. It was too much then. He grabbed her arms gently and pulled them away softly. Without another word he ran from the door, seeking familiarity, comfort, anything! The Goshinboku beckoned to him and he walked over to it weakly. Reaching out, he felt deep sense of succor warm his palm as it ran along the indentation his body had made more than five hundred years ago. The consolation ruptured the walls he had built for this and he felt his knees give out.

Pain wracked his frame, jerking his heart erratically as it struggled to pump blood to all the muscles that were twitching with agony. Tears fell in torrents from his eyes as every memory he had flashed in front of him. Fire, whips, pulls, tugs, a grave, jasmine, stones, an impenetrable door, endless trees, scraps, betrayal, lonely nights, rainy days, dinner after two weeks of hunger, torture, her eyes, his stubborn ways, her courage, the new moon, mortality, everlasting life, mocking stars, mocking children, hateful laughter, jeers, taunts, the same words over and over, make it stop, make it stop make it STOP! _She_ had been able to keep the lunatic isolation at bay, made him hope, smile, live. Now she was the pain itself. It hurts so much. It isn't supposed to. It wasn't fair, can't be fair, how much more would he have to take? Why, damn it all, WHY! It's not meant to hurt this bad.

It shouldn't _hurt_ this bad.

But it did.

* * *

Just one more left. Muses, give me the strength. Just one more…

Ja ne 


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer**: Not mine, not mine, repeat it enough and I'll never believe it…

**A/N**: Its finally here! The ending to my first story! Have fun and I'll see you at the end.

**Chapter Eleven: Redemption**

Gods damn it all! She did it again! The moment she had run out after Inuyasha Shiori had felt hope in her heart. They would make up, kiss, and realize they love one another and all would be right with the world again. But when she had come back alone, still blushing slightly, then heard the subsequent closing of the door (so softly she almost burst into tears then and there), the elder Higurashi could only feel the same empty rage she had felt that night when Betrayal reared its cruel face. Before she could even think about it she was on her feet.

Kagome never saw the slap coming. She swore the world itself shook when the hand slammed into her face. Fire erupted in her cheek, scalding and causing her to cry out. The emotional roller coaster that she had been riding since touching the cute guy's ears ground to a halt and all she could feel was shock. A memory bounced to the surface only to sink back into the haze. Intelligent response, need to say something. She's mad, do something!

"Mama, what's going on?" The woman was trembling, and Kagome could see that she was using all her strength not to cry. Her struggle was even more apparent in her voice when she spoke.

"Are you going to let it happen again?"

"What do you mean?" This time Shiori did sigh in exasperation. Her hand flew to the table and grabbed something and thrust it into her daughter's hands. The tears burst forth this time.

"Remember, Kagome! Don't let him walk away again! He's no doubt suffered so much to bring this to you! And you! Don't you remember how heartbroken you were to know he was gone? I mean, for months all you ever did was cry and recount every adventure you had gone on! Damn it, Kagome, I won't stand for it anymore. Recall it now, because I don't think he'll come back after this." The same nostalgic chord struck again and a memory materialized, but it was too fuzzy, out of focus. Feeling weight in her hand she looked at what the guy had left her for the first time. It was a jewel, a round pink pearl that shone with its own light. It was mesmerizing. It pulsed then, beating with her heart. The light enveloped her again, sinking into her skin, down to her soul. It slammed against the wall of suppression and released what lay within. Images, smells, memories, feelings, they all crested and submerged her. Sango, Miroku, Shippou, Kaede, Shikon, Naraku, Kikyou, Kohaku, INUYASHA! His smile, his anger, loneliness, sadness, death, life, a sealing arrow, golden eyes, white dog-ears, everything returned to her then. She staggered under the weight in her hand and the gates opened, gushing through her eyes onto the table and floor. Sweet agony gripped her heart to feel the same hopelessness and guilt and to finally understand the lonely nights, the red and white figure of her dreams with the sad eyes, and the pain of her homecoming.

"Mama, mama," it was a soft plea for solace, for forgiveness, and Shiori answered it with a watery smile.

"Go to him. Go before he leaves forever." Kagome's blood turned cold at her words and she was out of the house instantly, forgetting her shoes. Stepping out into the sunlight she felt her heart stop to find the grounds deceitfully silent and empty. It started up again when she saw a red-clad outline over by the Goshinboku. Walking slowly, the miko could see that it was Inuyasha. He was kneeling before the god tree, his head bowed. Then she heard it. Whimpering. The sound was so low it could almost be mistaken as passing fancy. Yet the tone was clear, its depth abyssal.

Like a puppy kicked by the master it had loyally followed.

The whimpers became words and Kagome could feel her heart break under the guilt.

"Sacred tree, help me please. I can't take it any more. She's forgotten me, and it hurts so much. Please, let me do the same. I'm not strong enough for this. I don't want these memories anymore. I want to wake up from all this. Please, make it all be a bad dream. Let me open my eyes and see her again, her smile, her love, her anger, her scowl, her tears, anything. I've never gotten anything I wanted; but just grant me this one thing and I'll never live again. Please." He couldn't even see the tree anymore; the red and golden haze was blurring it out. The sound of his breathing rose above all other sounds, erratic and pained. Then Inuyasha felt a body slam against his back and heard that sweet torturous voice that had haunted his dreams since that night. His body trembled violently, one last stand, a final exertion of emotional and physical energy against oblivion, before shutting down in defeat to the insult. Youkai Inuyasha howled and screamed, shaking his head from side to side in mad rage while Human Inuyasha just sat on his knees in supplication, face in his hands and tears falling free, begging for the pain to end. The words seemed to come from a cave to his ears, hollow and melancholic, artificial.

"No! No, don't cry, please, don't cry for me," and it was another twist of the sword. Now he couldn't even grieve for his loss, just bottle it up and let it rot, like all the same whips, the same burns, the same incensing ear pulls, it wasn't FAIR! The haze closed in around his body showing him thousands of images, timeless and eternal. The sun, swaying trees, lazy clouds, a simple grave, continuing on from Sengoku to Modan Jidai and the tall metal huts, the loud smelly horses, so many visuals he couldn't sort out or pinpoint. And at the center of it all shone Kagome, bright and cheerful as always. Her star bright smile filled his heart with pain and the world fell away.

Sobs wracked her frame, a physical pain that she welcomed. The weight of his words was like the entire world's pain on her back. Her soul shuddered to think what must have happened to him to bring him to such a heartbreaking display of vulnerability. How could she have been so cruel? So hard were her tears that she did not feel his body grow limp for some time, she just relished in his heat, his scent of sandalwood and the forest in the sunrise, and the love that had never died bursting from her and into him. However, when she felt his head slide lifelessly to the side she realized it. Calling out for her mother, the two women lifted the unconscious hanyou and led him to the living room. Kagome struggled to control her emotions so as not to become a useless heap of weeping flesh. The look of stillness on his face made her heart stop and start up erratically and she couldn't look for too long. Instead, she kneeled on the sofa and brought his head to rest on her lap. Her hands ran over his face and hair even as her eyes remained closed in fear, the warmth of the skin reassuring her immensely.

Strange dreams chased him, pictures of a cloudy future juxtaposed by the fiery past. Running on a forest path, cherry blossom trees on all sides, winding, twisting, everlasting. The foliage was in full bloom, the petals falling like pink rain, dancing in the silent wind as he ran, ran, ran, searching for that elusive—. Above the boughs and leaves he could see flashes of memories, snippets of battles long won and yet to be fought. They meant nothing to him, even as their importance and message throbbed beneath his eyes, pulsing with the gravity of bygone times. Still he ran, knowing that what he sought lay deep within the labyrinth of trunks. Passing glances identified jasmine at the base of each tree, and the scent caressed his nose. It smelled of home, of comfort, of belonging, and it only made him run faster, the petals interrupted by his movement and following after him angrily in a flurry of activity. A name pushed through the haze of pink and hazel, splitting his heart in two with bittersweet joy. This name was bliss, it was pain, it was peace, and it was all the things he had resigned to never again feel since the flames of hatred had seared his soul. This wasn't real, eighty years of nothing, empty words, empty gestures, empty lives, and empty hearts, empty, empty, empty, that was all it was, just fucking emptiness! The pink darkened then to a deep red, the color of blood. All the images above vanished, the trees parted to reveal a clearing covered entirely by the same crimson petals, and the same taciturn wind waged war on his haori even as the fabric blended with the floor and sky. The haze crept like a monster among the trunks of the trees and slithered into the clearing. It concentrated in the center to form the figure of a woman. Black hair fell in waves down her back, a short green skirt hiding the bare essentials and revealing long toned legs. A white blouse with green bow and collar filled the ensemble that was making his heart skip. He knew this woman, this goddess that had yet to open her eyes but he knew instinctively that they would be dark blue. A fear clutched his spine then as her face came to lock with his and Inuyasha could see a single tear on her cheek. The flames, petals burst into flames and she stood there, why didn't she move? Why did she stay? Didn't she see the truth, that there is no such thing as love, friendship, or loyalty? There's only your reflection in the lake, in the mirror.

All other entities in this world fade away in pairs.

Only You were born not to love.

Only I will live and die alone.

The flames spiked around her legs and he could see her legs glow with the light. Soon they would consume her beauty and she would be left with nothing but her tears. No, he couldn't let her die, couldn't let her burn in the pit of his sins and indecision, she deserved happiness, happiness, HAPPINESS!

'_For chaining her to me…'_

Light and color bled together, the watercolor masterpiece of a madman.

Song of the ancient past, scent of jasmine, and warmth on his face.

He awoke then, feeling relief flood him. It had all been a dream, a sad nightmare that had gripped him and refused to let him go. But, like so many times before with the children and villagers, _she_ was there to make it better, humming that same lullaby that always calmed him and dried his tears, gave him the strength to continue repairing his soul and hope. He inhaled to give a sigh of relief and caught that unmistakable scent. Eighty years returned in a flash. And the final portion of his life sat with his head in her lap, humming that special lullaby. She didn't know, couldn't know the song she was purring with so much emotion. He felt the back of his eyes burn as he looked up at her to see her closed lids, the calm rise and fall of her chest, and the small smile, knowing that he was not the cause, merely the recipient of her personal nirvana. The burn intensified until they were tears staining the fabric of the pants she was wearing. _'Kagome…'_

The song was soothing, an ancient caress of the ears for any child because of its hope and she felt it lift her heart. Her hands wandered through the forest of white, their journey ending at his ears. A spike of intense joy made her hands tremble to feel their velvety softness and she ran fingers softly over the edges. Thumbs kneaded within, relieving any stress he might have. Her actions took all of her concentration and it was some time before she felt cold moisture pooling near her knees, right where Inuyasha's head was…. Her actions faltered as her eyes fell to the hanyou. She had not known he was awake but the liquid at the corners of his shut eyelids made the gaping wound of her heart bleed freely once again. He didn't rage, didn't scream or howl his anguish, not even those heartbroken whimpers she had heard at the tree escaped his tightly pursed lips. There were only the tears, and it spoke louder than anything. Before she could even think she had his head in her arms and cried just as soundlessly. He stiffened in the embrace and with her ears so close she could hear his nose flare, smelling her sorrow and who knew what else? But she wouldn't move, he was too close, too real right now.

He would have to be a fool not to recognize the salty tang of tears, but he could not for the life of him perceive what was causing them. Her hands that had been on his ears softly stroking now held his head as if it were a prized possession, the Shikon No Tama itself. It confused him so much it literally stopped the raging pain within as both Youkai and Human Inuyasha stepped forth to offer any comfort to the grieving woman. Instinct, primal and ancient, past down through generations of adaptation, revealed itself.

Shiori watched the two on the couch from the door leading to the dining room with a weary smile. 'Finally, after so much pain and misunderstanding, all will be right again,' she thought before closing the shoji and hustling the other Higurashi members out of the house to give the healing lovers privacy. Within twenty minutes the trio was shacked up at a hotel for the night, Souta and the eldest Higurashi muttering darkly while Shiori merely enjoyed the lights of downtown Tokyo.

Kagome was at a loss. Inuyasha had been the first to move, breaking the hold she had on his head and turning to face her. A strange emotion she couldn't place lingered on the surface of that wall she now recognized that had been looking at her since she had arrived. Without a word he reached up and licked the tearstains on her cheeks. His rough tongue then dropped to her chin and softly licked. What did it mean? It wasn't a human gesture; even if it was five hundred years ago she had _never_ seen this happen! So if it wasn't human… her mind flashed a memory of a documentary she had seen two months ago about wolf packs. On the screen she had seen a wolf walk up to the alpha male of the pack and lie down in front of it, then began licking the cheek of the leader. The narrator's voice spoke then.

_When a pack member is faced with banishment from the pack it will walk before the alpha and submit to its leadership by lying down before it. It then proceeds to lick the alpha's lower jaw in supplication…_

The pieces fell together and she realized what he was doing. Inuyasha, the proud Inuhanyou that for almost a century had lived alone, was submitting to the very race that despised him, to the woman that had betrayed him. Its poignancy brought a fresh batch of tears to her eyes, but the miko pushed them back. 'No more right now,' she thought resolutely and she mustered the courage to begin the talk three years in the making.

"Inuyasha," she said, amazed at how steady and loud her voice was. His ears swiveled to listen and his eyes opened, the emotion gone leaving only the wall staring back at her. "We have to talk." She opened her mouth to say more, but the strength it had taken to initiate had left her feeling weak. There was so much to atone for, so much to explain. How could she get through it with her sanity and soul intact? He merely continued his silent stare, that wall ever present. She had seen this wall before, back during that unstable period after she had freed him from his slumber. It had masked the pain and loneliness, but she had seen it break with Urasue's magic, could clearly see the years behind those golden orbs. That barricade was flimsy compared to the one he now sported and she couldn't help but wonder if _she_ were in any way responsible for it. Her mind burned with the need to know and the question left her lips before she could properly word or even think about it, "Where have you been all this time?"

Inuyasha pondered on how to answer. There were two options: he could either balk and act as usual and close up, or he could just tell her everything. There was really no point to the former. After all, it wasn't like he was going to come back. Her face was scrunched in worry and subtle curiosity, but he could sense no disgust or impatience. He stamped ruthlessly down the hope bubbling within. 'She didn't want me three years ago, why in the hell would she want me now,' he thought bitterly before initiating his tale.

Kagome regretted asking the moment he began recounting all he had done. He talked of his visit to his mother, the fight with that 'damn wimpy wolf,' the death of Kikyou, her gift, and the lonely quest to complete the jewel. The complete omission of Sango, Miroku, Shippou, and Kaede did not go unnoticed, as their names never once left his lips, but he continued on and she did not interrupt. His eyes were distant, as was his tone, and she knew he was there; reliving it all and it was almost too much to bear. But she stayed still, not daring to move or cry out at the heart wrenching pain when she heard of the cruelty of the villagers. He had moved during his narrative, sitting up and unconsciously pulling her into his lap, until his baritone voice fell on her ears through her black tresses. It sent shivers down her back to hear his heart pounding steadily, and the warmth of his haori enveloping her in a cocoon of crimson security. His voice died away into incoherent mumbling, the tale winding down to this very moment. Silence reigned as she re-memorized everything about him. By then he had realized their position and she tensed when his hands gripped her shoulders, no doubt to push her away. A wild scream tore her throat in response to his rejection. In a split second Kagome switched it to words, the fear of never feeling his warmth again crushing her heart.

Inuyasha could feel her tense at his touch. Before his mind could interpret anything he heard her voice, each word a hysterical plea.

"NO! Please don't push me away! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry for what I did that night! Please, listen to me! Don't, don't, please don't. Give me a chance to explain!" Through her frenzied tirade her hands fisted in his haori and he felt her face burrow into his chest, the tears piercing cloth and touching skin. The rejection he had been anticipating to his touch gave way to perplexity. Why was _she_ apologizing? She hadn't done anything; all she did was live how she wished! That was no sin, even if it did break his heart to see it, but he couldn't hold it against her. It had been his mother who told him that to love someone is to be willing to give them anything at all, even to deliver him or her into the arms of another. Absurd as it had sounded back then, he could see the truth in it now. It was all about happiness for that person, because that's what love is: selfless sacrifice. Although he and his heart wept, he turned away from everything he treasured for Kagome's joy. Now he sat in her lap after three years of maddening loneliness and it was she who asked for forgiveness and he just couldn't understand why. In the end, the mind and soul knew what to say. During his entire introspection she had been clutching his haori and rambling apologies and mumbled explanations, but it ceased instantly when he took hold of her cheek and brought his lips to hers.

The world ended at their contact. It fell away into the void, leaving just them floating alone. His lips seared hers, shooting millions of electric shocks down every inch of her body. A heat blazed in her veins, burning so hot she could feel herself tremble under its intensity. His hands clasped her waist almost lovingly as he angled his head to deepen the kiss. Her lips parted in an unconscious moan that gave the hanyou she loved complete access. The need for air was the only thing that separated them and boy did they breathe. Kagome felt like she had run a lap around Mt. Fuji only to find herself still in Inuyasha's lap. Feeling the dazed euphoria ebb away she looked up at him and could feel the guilt return stronger than before until she felt like her body was sliding to the floor and into Hell. The wall was gone; exposing all the raw pain and the maturity only a traumatic experience could produce. But behind all of that, pumping and surging she could see the hope, the joy, and the desire. But, as was Inuyasha's way, his words destroyed the mood.

"Why are you apologizing," he asked, and she held her breath at the confusion and guilt she could sense in the tone. "None of this is your fault." Oh no, he was going to do it! She had to say something before he forgave her everything. He had to know all the facts, so that the next decision he made would be fair for both.

"I'm apologizing for your suffering. What you saw that night at the dance wasn't real. I'm not going to say that kissing Houjou was a dream, but you have to understand why I did it." That didn't help; she could see it in his slowly darkening face. "It's just that the atmosphere was so romantic and the music was flowing and I thought of the past and how much I wished it was you dancing with me then." He stiffened then as if his entire body had been stricken with rigor mortis. The color drained from his face until those golden eyes seemed to shine from behind a white curtain. His hands that had not left her shoulders fell away. The fear returned, fierce and immobilizing. Kagome knew that she had said something possibly life-changing. It was up to Inuyasha now.

Turmoil. He had heard right, he trusted his ears. That hateful night replayed and she saw the kiss, felt the pain, but then the new information assimilated itself into the memory. That damn Hobo human shifted, grew taller, his hair became long and white, two white triangles appeared from the mass of silver, and that same black suit the bastard always wore bled and billowed out. Now _he_ stood before Kagome, feeling her lips and relishing in her love. It was so good, such a wonderful vision. But almost a century's worth of prejudice and conditioning were not easily forgotten, and that voice which fifty years before had silently tormented him to near madness rose again, balking at the perfection.

'_You delusional son of a whorish bitch, you are not worthy of such things. Nothing but a hanyou, you should have been drowned at birth! Turn away and never look upon her again. Unworthy, useless, wasteful, horrifying, vile filth!_'

Anger bubbled suddenly. She was mocking him! After all he had endured to fix the damn jewel, the friends he had pushed away, she was undermining it all by saying it was all her fault? That he had been wrong in his assumptions, that she too had suffered, and she…loved him? NO!

"Why Kagome," he asked, all his anger bottled, conquered by his new self-control. It festered, and it hurt, but inward it would remain until he knew. "If you wished it was me, why did you kiss _him_?" Her breath hitched and he could smell fresh tears arise before she hastily wiped them away. But she said nothing, just looking at him with pleading eyes. It lashed his resolve, igniting his anger and passion. She wasn't going to get off that easily! "Tell me!"

She had to fix this. Kagome had seen the anger clearly and it took all of two seconds to figure out why. He had taken the next step, the ball was in her court, and what she said next would make or break everything. She wanted extra time, but when he screamed, a mixture of rage and desperation, the words just poured out.

"Because I love you! And I was angry! We had fought, and then you didn't come, and all I wanted was some payback. I know that I have no excuse for what I did and I wish I could take it all back, but I can't. And I suffered for it, just like you. It hurt so much that I subconsciously forced myself to forget, but my soul remembered. Now I'm here with tears in my eyes and breathing in everything that is _you_, and I'm asking, no, _begging_, for your forgiveness. I love you so much, and I'll spend the rest of my life proving it to you, if you'll let me." His breath hitched at the confession and she could see the anger ebb away and he looked _so_ weary. His arms moved, wrapping around her waist and pulling her closer, until his nose was up against the junction of neck and shoulder blade. The simple action gave her hope, not much, but it was better than pushing her away. Then he spoke.

"I dreamed of hearing you say that, of feeling your lips against mine, your soul fusing with mine, and I dreamed of all that would happen afterwards," she said, and the heat that Kagome had felt during the kiss pooled slowly at his words and the soft puffs of air on her suddenly sensitized skin. "I had hoped it would have been beneath the Goshinboku with the full moon and the stars that would twinkle at my happiness. I knew I didn't deserve it because of my worthless hanyou blood, but it didn't hurt to dream, did it? Then I saw you kiss that guy and it hurt me, because it was the world twisting it to me one more time, proving that I'll always be alone. I wanted to hate you then, knew I should have after all our traveling and how hard I was falling in love with you, but I just couldn't. You see, all I could really think about was you, and whether living here in this time would bring more happiness than constantly fighting demons with three friends and a hanyou at the Sengoku Jidai. But it was the worse decision I ever made. I wanted your company, _needed_ that bright smile that kept the sun shining. I need _you_. Kagome, I… I love you." The response was her lips crashing headlong with his, the tears breaking free as her hands gripped his face. '_He loves me, he loves me, he LOVES ME_,' was the only thought that flitted in her dizzy and heated mind. When air became an issue they parted slowly. Kagome couldn't stop the giggle even if she wanted to. Her eyes, which had drifted close sometime during the kiss, opened to lock with his. The heat vanished to see the amount of pain in his eyes. It overwhelmed her; its intensity and utter lack of hope made her lungs seize and pushed all of the air they had just taken out in a gasp. Did he have to live like this; was his life seen only through these eyes? She was so shocked that when he spoke Kagome almost didn't hear it.

"Is this real?" It seemed foolish to ask, since he could still taste her on his lips, yet it had not stopped him from suddenly thinking whether this really was real. After all, only a dream could have given him the courage to say what he did, only an illusion would be so hellishly positive, a hallucination the only thing capable of dangling such a desolate hope just out of reach, how _could_ it be real? Her tears then fell on his cheeks, cold and filled with the scent of salt and sorrow. In a sudden move she pulled his face to hers in another kiss. It was much shorter than the last but contained that same warmth as with all of the others. Yet when she pulled away Kagome spoke, her words puffs of breath on his lips.

XX

"This is real--I'm real--I love you too--I love you so much--this is real," She said softly, each phrase sealed with a kiss. Positions shifted, until Kagome was now facing him while sitting on his lap. The kisses never stopped, nor did the words. "Let me show you, let me make you feel again." Her hands ran along his face to his neck and into his haori, fingers blazing hot on his skin. In retaliation Inuyasha ran his tongue along her lips, an instinctual entreaty. Kagome gasped with delight and the kiss deepened into a passionate duel for supremacy that she gladly lost. Arousal swelled and crested inside her and she fought the urge to claw and bite the gorgeous man beneath her, whilst he wrestled with the demonic lust that screamed for him to take her, take her, TAKE HER! In his struggles to maintain control, he suddenly remembered his surroundings. Surprisingly, it was Kagome who spoke first.

"Wait, someone might see," she said in a heated whisper as she stood. Inuyasha felt the place she had vacated cold and _very_ rigid. Grabbing him by the hand, she led the dazed hanyou through the house, up the stairs, and straight to her room. His ears caught the click of her lock and her soft footsteps. Turning to her he saw the crimson blush on her face and the way her body heaved and fell with deep breaths. The rigidity below tightened at the sight of the woman he loved breathing heavily before him. She shivered under the intensity of his gaze before kissing him once again. The battle resumed full force as the two moved haphazardly around the room until they fell on the bed, Kagome on her back with Inuyasha supporting himself with his hands. The miko wrapped her legs around his waist and he grinned at her. "What are you doing," he asked, his voice as even as he could possibly make it. Her eyes clouded further as she lifted her lips and hips to him again. Her mind fought to think of a clever response, but in the end she said what felt natural.

"Just trying to give you a hint." His eyes bugged out and she giggled before licking his chin. All at once he stopped his movements. Confused, she lay back to see what was wrong, only to find his face deathly serious.

"Are you sure about this, Kagome? Because, if you aren't…." She shook her head to cut him off.

"Of course I am, Inubaka! I love you and right now I need you to take care of this flame that's burning inside of me," she said, her voice gradually dropping to a seductive purr in his ear. "Love me Inuyasha, please. I need you." Inhaling deeply he felt the scent of her arousal permeate his skin. It awoke the lust he had always felt for her and brought it to the forefront. His soft growls made their chests vibrate as he licked where shoulder met neck. Sparks of lightning made the mike's body jump and tremble with every new sensation as that rough tongue memorized her taste. Whimpers dribbled from her lips as he continued his exploration from her neck down her chest. Without a moment's hesitation he tore her clothes down the middle whilst their lips wrestled. She barely noticed the loss, her conscious mind slowly eroding away by the waves of heat coming from the apex of her legs. Their lips broke apart with a loud smack and for one brief second their eyes met, his golden hues laced with crimson lust and her stormy blue, before the hanyou moved down her body. Rough fingertips, hands of one who had lived his entire life fighting, raked over the swell and cleavage between her breasts, making her arch off the bed, moaning louder.

The sounds coming from his mate made Inuyasha's blood boil. He basked in the heat of her arousal, licking, nipping, and tugging with unconscious ease. Through all her cries he made sure to keep his claws away from her skin, but just as he reached that enticing spot where that musky scent originated from his hand trembled with anticipation causing the nails to rake against her inner thigh. Dread at the thought of hurting her filled him, causing a little reason to return to his feverish mind. Her reaction however made the shred disintegrate instantly.

It had been so immediate, so unexpected, and so erotic that she almost fainted then and there from pleasure when his nails slid against her thigh. It ripped the air from her lungs, made every muscle tense, and that feeling which had steadily coiled thanks to his actions twisted almost unbearably tight. A deep growl left his lips even as he licked them and it was teasing oh so teasing to see the motion and please God let him get back to what he was doing! Sure enough, his nails once again made goose bumps and moans ensue from her lithe body. Her hands searched frantically for a handhold, finally disappearing in his silver mane.

He felt her frenetic pleas and tugs leading to that intoxicating center that made the haze deepen until there was only Kagome in the void, shining like a heavenly maiden blessing his worthless existence with her light. So it was with worshiper's reverence that he gave that region a tentative lick.

It was an explosion of light and sound. Her back arched so much that she was sure she had broken it, but it didn't matter. Only his tongue and its slow uncertain movements, only his presence, only his love mattered now. And that silver-gold coil twisting tighter and tighter, the peak she sought made her cries louder and louder with every step closer to the edge. 'So close, so close,' was her thought as she looked down at him only to find his eyes staring directly at her. There was doubt, inexperience, old pain, but behind it all she could see such joy, and it was too much. Tears sprang blissfully from her eyes as a loud scream announced her release. The coil sprang and she leapt.

The rest was silence.

Inuyasha had felt it just seconds before, a primordial thrill that told him his lover was about to experience something _very_ good. So he looked up, wanting to see her through, be with her at the edge and hold her hand as she leapt. Sure enough, their eyes met, she screamed, and a whole lot of things happened at once. Her body stiffened, her hands clenched, and a sweet tangy something splashed him in the face. Then she went limp, her body shuddering occasionally. The wondrous scent and waves of desire in her aura receded somewhat and the hanyou stood to look at his Kagome. Her eyes were closed and he could see tears falling softly, but there was no scent of sorrow, just the salty tang. Still, he tried to comfort her by licking the stains on her cheeks. The motion made her eyes open and all at once she embraced him.

"Oh Inuyasha I've never felt that before! It was so wonderful," she said, soft whispers in his ears. Her voice reminded him then of his own arousal, which was poking her leg rather rudely in its quest for attention. Yet he merely held her, knowing that this was probably going to be the only thing he could have. He satisfied her, what more could she want from him? His thoughts were halted however when she suddenly kissed him, her tongue sliding against his. It almost broke him then, his control hung by the faintest thread, but he held on as she gingerly undressed him. When the final garment was removed she stopped and stared intently, her eyes drinking in the perfection before her. As he was about to protest her obvious scrutiny, she reached down and grabbed him, instantly drowning his words in a gasp.

It was incredible how quickly the heat returned when she embraced him. It was almost as if the very scent of sandalwood and morning dew made her mad with desire. Not to mention the thought of what was underneath those billowy clothes. When he laid naked beside her she let the image sear into her mind before reaching down. Any other time the young virgin would have been mortified to even think about such a situation, but she had to quench this heat and drive away the pain of separation. His gasp only made the flames burn brighter within. She kissed him again as her hands simulated the act to come whilst his hands roamed her body once more. The temperature rose around them as they burrowed deeper and deeper into the bed until Kagome lay beneath Inuyasha, their bodies mere inches away from joining. He seemed to hesitate and when they locked eyes, Kagome could see the doubt in them. Knowing what to do, and desperate for relief, she spoke clearly and with all the love she had.

"Make me complete." The statement was like a starter's pistol. Inuyasha's lips crashed against her, swallowing the moan of pleasure as he imbedded himself in her. The flames lashed her again, driving her near-mad with their ferocity. His pace was slow, as if he were struggling to keep control. She couldn't endure it any longer and acting out of pure instinct she nibbled his chin affectionately. Inuyasha felt this signal and lost it, his demon impulses finally seizing control. The force of his thrusts was earthshaking and Kagome met each one easily. Their rhythm was ancient, timeless, and perfect. The miko could feel her body shake violently in preparation of the orgasm and with a loud cry it came, cresting rushing crushing her. Inuyasha bit his tongue quickly and kissed her before following suit, letting the blast of euphoria send him to another world. Kagome swallowed reflexively in an effort to breathe and a bright light shone from the joined lovers for a brief second before darkness enveloped the room. Their breaths were harsh and heavy as they came down in each other's arms. The moon shone on their sweaty bodies, the stars twinkling just out of view.

XX

The sun rose breezily, shining its light into Kagome's window and falling on the bodies of the lovers as they slept, the miko in her beloved hanyou's strong embrace, the crimson haori draped over both. Kagome was the first to open her eyes and she drank in the vision of Inuyasha sleeping soundly after three years of pain. The image made her realize that it had been the same for him, and it just made her happier to know his pain had ended. The night before returned to her in a rush of heat and she smiled as his confession replayed endlessly in her mind. With the confession came the culmination and the heat slithered lower, making her thighs rub together to quell the sudden sensation. His arms around her waist and his breath on her neck did nothing to help the situation. Before she could fall back asleep and avoid further embarrassment, she heard his voice trail fire down her neck.

"Well, since you don't want to fool around, we'll just have to get down to business," he said and she could almost see his smirk, but his words served to make her face burst into crimson flames. Feeling him move behind her she shifted and turned to face him as he sat on the edge of her bed, her sheets preserving modesty. Their eyes locked and before she could even think she had thrown herself at him. He caught her body without so much as a flinch and said nothing, just waited out her much-delayed tears.

"Oh gods I had no idea how much I missed you. All those years I wandered, incomplete, and not knowing why! Now you're here with me, next to me, and I've never felt so happy," she said, after the sobs subsided enough to let her speak, sniffles interrupting occasionally. He inhaled the soft sweet scent that was only Kagome and sighed; letting his actions comfort her while he sought his own from her words. Once they had both calmed down Inuyasha remembered the reason he had woken in the first place.

"Kagome," he said softly, waiting patiently for her to move away. "It's time to finish the ceremony." Her eyes clouded with confusion. "Once an Inuyoukai has chosen a potential mate, there's a ritual that has to be performed in order to make it final. It started last night when you licked my chin, a sign of submission and acceptance by the female to the male." Kagome sorted through the haze of the night before, pinpointing the moment she licked and Inuyasha's reaction. Before she could blush, he continued. "After the submission the two must join together, share their souls, intertwine with each other's…"

"Okay Inuyasha I get the point!"

"Anyway, just before orgasm the male must transfer his blood to the female. So far we've done all that. There's only one more step left before the mating is complete." He said this last part haltingly, almost as if he was hesitating.

"Inuyasha? What is it," Kagome asked, crawling across the bed closer to him. His ears perked up at the mention of his name and she couldn't resist. Her fingers massaged the sensitive white triangles lovingly. He shuddered before speaking quickly.

"I have to mark you with a symbol using my blood. After that, you'll be my mate for life." She felt joy swell in her heart to hear it, but it did not stop the knot forming from his obvious hesitation. Could it be that he didn't really want her for that long? Hoping to prove herself wrong, she smiled brightly.

"So what's the problem," she asked cheerily. He sat stunned for a second before dropping his gaze to the floor.

"I just don't want to bind you to me like this if you don't want to." For a moment she did not hear him, merely watched the same dull pain she had seen last night when he challenged reality creep into his eyes. Then his words sounded like the lashing of a whip and she just embraced him, burying her face in his neck. He stiffened for a split second before surrendering to the comfort.

"I love you Inuyasha, and I won't leave your side ever again. I'll be yours until my last breath," she said, a soft smile on her face whilst her cheek stayed warm on his bare chest. To her surprise she heard him chuckle faintly.

"Then I need you to lie down koi," he said and gently placed her on her back on the bed.

_Two weeks later…_

The sun rose joyfully in the Sengoku Jidai and Sango stood at the entrance to her hut to watch it. Soft snores behind her heralded the activities of the night before, causing a furious blush to cross her face along with a smile. She had never declared her love for Miroku so many times in such a short span, and the memory of what he had been doing to warrant such words from her lips made the blush burn hotter. At the same time though, she was glad it had happened. Maybe now, during this time of peace after the death of Naraku, it would be safe to have a child. Of course there was the imminent argument over what the child would be. Sex was not a factor, but whether to be a taijiya or monk, now there lay the war. 'Oh well, let's make it into pregnancy first,' she thought with another wistful smile. Roaming her eyes over the landscape she caught the figures of Kohaku and Shippou playing at the forest edge. The first few days after he had returned the boy ran to a corner in the hut and wouldn't be moved without intense persuasion, and only from Sango. Eventually the loving care from his older sister and true friendship of Shippou and the village children finally served to heal his battered soul.

And it was all thanks to him. Sure, the villagers had nearly deified Miroku and her alongside Shippou, but she knew the truth. Inuyasha had done it, had suffered the most, walked the farthest, fought the hardest; he was the true hero. To fight with a broken heart takes courage and she hoped to one day thank him for his sacrifices.

Within the Forest of Inuyasha, the Bone-Eater's Well which up to two weeks ago had been unused and before that sat alone for three years, glowed blue with its time magic. A red and white blur leapt from its depths. Inuyasha placed his love on the floor and she stood up. Taking deep breaths, Kagome felt tears come to her eyes.

"It's good to be home after all this time," she said. His hand silently found hers and they started the long trek to the village. The trees thinned agonizingly slow, as if they wanted to extend the moment before having to release her from their grip. But finally she could see the clearing leading straight to Kaede's village. A powerful wave of energy submerged her, filling her heart with a feeling of peace. She was truly home now, and the jewel hanging from her neck pulsed accordingly. Back in the future they discussed what to do with the jewel and both agreed it would be an insult to her friends to make a wish without them present, so they decided to wait until the entire group was reunited. Of course this task was easier said than done. Her lover had matured in his time alone, but at the same time she could see he was unwilling to return to Miroku and Sango. For a week he just flat out refused but after an extensive conversation and more "physical" forms of persuasion, the hanyou finally relented. Her giddiness then destroyed the memory of walking with him into the village as she broke into a run toward the mass of huts, leaving Inuyasha far behind as he continued his slow walk. The homes and villagers were blurs. Only one stood out among the blend of colors and movement. It was quaint and appeared small next to the mountain steps that cast its shadow on it. Without as much as a warning she burst through the screen and entered Kaede's hut. After many hugs and excited murmurs by the distant relatives the young miko ran out of the hut in the direction of the rice fields.

Shippou ran around in circles in his effort to keep out of Kohaku's reach. They always played like this, running around in lines and zigzags trying to catch other. It was training, it was fun, and sometimes the other village children participated. 'Well, this is a little boring,' the kitsune thought as he easily dodged another carefully dodged leap from the taijiya apprentice. 'Let's switch the playing field.' Turning so sharply his legs trailed dust and grass behind him, Shippou changed course and ran into the forest. Kohaku chuckled and leapt into the tree line to give chase.

The kitsune had not taken two steps before he felt youki clash with his own. All the joy left him and his hand reached for the Byakkoken. The energy was everywhere and it felt incredibly strong. Fear gripped his heart for a moment, causing him to take a step back to the security of the clearing. As a result of his lapse into panic Shippou took a deep breath and was met with that familiar scent again.

And there he was among the trees, walking slowly with head bowed toward him.

Inuyasha was here.

A battle began within his heart. Joy rose to the surface, but Rage was not far behind. They tousled for supremacy and in the end the kitsune unsheathed his blade and rushed the red figure.

Sango could have screamed, truly and loudly. The truth of the matter, though, was that she honestly didn't believe it. Kagome, of all people, was running straight at her with arms out and tears in her eyes. 'It's just an illusion, that's' all,' she thought miserably. All thoughts ceased however when she felt a body slam into her so hard it pushed her into the hut and to the floor. Time resumed its normal pace, bringing with it bone-shaking realization.

Kagome.

SHE'S HERE! The next five minutes were a blur of tears, hugs, and excited exchanges of information. Basically, the two women were trying to fit in three years into as little time as possible. Miroku, attracted to the buzz, stood from his mat to investigate only to be swept up in the chaos. For once, his hands stayed firmly on their backs. The happiness was broken quite suddenly, however, by Kohaku bursting into the hut.

"Shippou's fighting a demon!"

He had a feeling this would happen. It was demon instinct after all, even if he was just a runt. Now all he had to do was find a way to end it without injuries. The poor kitsune had seen him and, seeing as his scent was no longer impressed on the village or the surrounding area, had seen him as a threat. 'I wish he didn't use his sword though,' he mused as he dodged another well-executed slash.

No one knew what to say as Kohaku led them to the clearing where the village's young guardian was locked in mortal battle. The opponent moved so swiftly he was a fury of red and silver. It was Miroku who realized it first (Kagome already knew after all) and he instinctively reached for his wife's hand. The gesture forced the realization on her as well and she almost couldn't believe it.

"Hey! What do you think doing Inuyasha," Kagome said as she took a step to interfere, but the taijiya had recovered her wits enough to place a halting hand in front of her friend.

"Don't worry Kagome-chan, he will not hurt Shippou," she said with a knowing glance to which the miko reluctantly obeyed. She instead focused on the almost impossible battle. When did Shippou become so adept at fighting? And where did he get that sword?

'Just a little while longer,' Inuyasha thought as he dodged the attacks. He could already sense the runt's stamina and anger ebbing rapidly. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw the others appear in the clearing. He inhaled deeply and caught Kagome's worry so he decided to step it up. Using the Tetsusaiga as a pole, the hanyou lifted his body up and over the kitsune's reach. Landing on his hand he spun his legs low on the ground which caused Shippou to flip three feet in the air, after which Inuyasha grabbed him by the tail, and with a flick of the wrist whipped him into the ground. He heard his mate gasp but she held fast, thanks in large part to Sango's arm tight around her waist. 'Just hang on for a second, koi. It'll be over soon.' When he saw Shippou try to stand, the hanyou knelt and placed his hand on the kitsune's neck and growled low. The runt's ears twitched at the sound but he continued to struggle. Growling louder, Inuyasha squeezed and bared his fangs. He knew it must've been hard to see but it was the runt's fault for being so stubborn. He maintained the pressure for a while longer before finally he felt the kitsune go limp under his grip. Submission completed, Inuyasha stood up to let the pup up. For a moment he didn't stand but with a flash he was leaping up to the hanyou, clutching his neck with desperate need. Unintelligible yells and curses dribbled from within the haori, but one name rang clear. It wasn't hard to discern. With a smile as he held up the kit from under his rump, he whispered one sentence.

"Take a sniff, runt." Breathing reflexively Inuyasha smiled wider when he felt Shippou stiffen then felt his arms fall when the kitsune vacated his presence only to land with a loud sob in Kagome's warm embrace. There was another round of hugs and incoherent mumblings while Inuyasha slowly retrieved Tetsusaiga but made no move toward them. He merely stood slowly sheathing his sword watching as Sango broke from the group and walked to him. Keeping his head bowed he turned to face her. When she was directly in front of him, he could feel his breath leave his lungs. Then, with a speed he knew all too well, she moved.

SLAP! The sound made all the villagers look up and caused Inuyasha's head to snap to the side, an angry red welt on his cheek. His heart sank at the obvious sign of anger and felt his eyes grow heavy. Then, in the same moment he felt arms encircle him.

"Don't you ever do that again, you damn baka," he heard the taijiya say and she squeezed tighter. Another arm fell heavily on his shoulder and Inuyasha smelled meditation incense, followed by a soft plop and purr on his other shoulder. Damn them, beating on his defenses like this! But it wasn't until the sweet, wonderful scent of his mate joined this mingling of familiarity that he couldn't hold it anymore. His rigid spine was the first to give as it bent toward them, then his arms wrapped loosely around Sango, and his head sagged until it landed squarely on her forehead. When Kaede came upon the hill she couldn't help but smile at the beautiful reunion.

The sun set on the Sengoku Jidai and the subsequent 'welcome-back' party hosted by the villagers began winding down, leaving just a few lagging old drunkards and tipsy aspirant geisha. Among them sat the group encircling a robust fire. Kagome and Sango talked and giggled as if the last three years had not occurred, Shippou and Kirara sleeping in their respective laps. Inuyasha and Miroku sat on the sidelines in companionable silence with their weapons draped over their shoulders. As for Kohaku, he was the odd man out sitting with his knees up closer to the hanyou than anyone else. Wise old Kaede tended to the fire and relayed any and all drunken congratulations. The peace enveloped them steadily until they all knew it was time. The men opened their eyes and the women turned to face the fire.

"So what do we do with it," Kagome said as she reached into her blouse to pull out the completed Shikon No Tama. It glistened pink and red, beckoning to the collected to take it, wish on it, and defile it. All eyes gravitated to the wondrous jewel capable of making any problem go away.

"I think the more pressing question is what we could wish for that could make the jewel disappear," Miroku, ever the wise old lecher, said.

"That doesn't make it any easier, bouzo," the hanyou said, but his eyes were thoughtful as he stared at the fire as if it contained the answer.

"None of ye have any thoughts on what to with the jewel," Kaede asked a little incredulously. "What did ye plan on doing with it once thy journey had ended?" They all looked at each other for a moment before smiling.

"All of our wishes were fulfilled," Sango said, looking over at her silent brother and beaming. "There's nothing this jewel can give us." Silence overcame the group as they all accepted the statement. Then the answer was upon them, but it was Inuyasha who spoke first.

"Since the Shikon no Tama can't give us anything then why not wish for something else?"

"What do you mean," Kagome asked, although she had an idea what he was going to say. Instead of answering, the hanyou stood. Without missing a beat the others stood, Kirara and Shippou awaking to stand by the legs of the women. Inuyasha grabbed the mystical jewel and held up to the sky.

"I wish that the battle raging within be ended and that the miko that fought for so long finally find rest." A bright light blasted from the orb and enveloped them. Each of them felt a warm sensation fill them and the ground fell away. The group now floated in a world of pink peace. Yet from the infinity a woman appeared. Her miko robes were encased by armor that was filled with cracks and the signs of battle. Her jet-black hair floated in the void and her violet eyes looked on the all. When she spoke, it seemed like their very souls heard the words.

"_Brave warriors, champions all, you who have completed the jewel and stand ready to purge it from this world, hear me. My name is Midoriko. I am the priestess from which the Shikon No Tama emerged. For centuries my soul and the souls of the youkai battled within its confines, each one working desperately to maintain the upper hand. Now, with the scourge Naraku destroyed and the jewel once again purified, I can now go to rest. Your wish has freed me. May the Kami bless you for the rest of your lives and may we someday meet again. Until then-"_ here she turned to Inuyasha and a soft smile graced her features before she bent to kiss his forehead. "_You have my protection."_ The light appeared again and the group felt the warmth disappear and they were back around the fire. For the longest time none of them said anything. It was Kagome's turn to speak first.

"Is it over?" The question broke the trance and they all cheered. It had finally ended. The toil and pain caused by the Shikon No Tama was finally at rest, and the bonds it had helped to forge now lay before Kaede's sagely eye. These traveling companions had journeyed full circle to stand before the dawning of a new future. Miroku reached for his wife with his Kazaana-less hand, Sango embraced Kohaku with one arm while Kirara sat on her shoulder, and Inuyasha stood with his haori draped over his mate as she cradled a sleeping Shippou in her arms. Centuries later Shiori would reach into her attic where all the Higurashi heirlooms lay and pull out a dust-filled painting with an ornate border of gold and silver. And in this painting she would smile at the exact same scene that Kaede beheld all those years ago.

Pain had separated them, love had brought them together, and now time would seal their tale in paper and stone. And it was all because of a kiss, the pebble on the pond.

* * *

So there it is, the finale to _Needing It_. Thanks to all the people who stuck by me to the end and I hope you enjoyed the ending but if you didn't, too bad (just kidding). For those of you who loved this pile of steaming (expletive), then do me a favor and spread the word! I would really like some of the more seasoned writers to take a gander at this (not that I don't value everyone else's opinion…). Anyway, just to reiterate, thanks so much and I'll see you at my next story! Ja ne! 


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